130 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



advertising suggests the remark of the landlad}' as she showed a 

 little seven by nine apartment, up under the roof, to a captious 

 lodger. To his comment that it was not big enough " to swing a 

 cat in," " Why on earth should you swing a cat iu it?" was her re- 

 joinder. Why handle tainted milk at all ? 



If a great meat-packing house should advertise superior facilities 

 for handling tainted meat, and first-class opportunities to care 

 for the carcasses of cattle, sheep, and hogs, that have perished 

 througli exposure or disease, would such a course be likely to en- 

 hance their reputation, or be evidence of wise business methods? 



What is the difference between packing tainted meat and tainted 

 milk? 



The incisive test of a maker's fitness might be applied iu three 

 questions: How long did you work as secondhand? What are 

 your tests for milk? How do you decide when to take out the 

 curd ? 



Three of the senses are called into play in testing the vat, but 

 chiefly the sense of smell. The feeling will give indication of the 

 approaching change b\' the roughing of the sui'face of the fingers as 

 the whey becomes sour, and second in the toughening of the curd. 

 The taste is an aid of much value, but more easily led astray b\" 

 accidental circumstances. The hot iron will show an acid state of 

 the curd, but with no relative exactness as to the condition of the 

 vat in all respects. The curd may string out, either too soon or too 

 late, as the case may be. If the maker has absolute knowledge of 

 each mess of milk that entered the vat, and an accurate idea of the 

 strength of his rennet, his sense of smell, aided bv feeling and 

 taste will lead him aright, till the time for dipping is fully at hand. 

 The interval between the moment when the curds and whey are 

 brought to 98°, and this time to dip, though by no means a fine 

 point, yet by its duration, furnishes proof whether fine work is 

 going on or not. The same principle applies here, as in all cooker}' 

 — not to get through the work in the briefest space of time possible, 

 but to take all the time needed to ensure the best results. Changes 

 must be brought about in the curd before separation from the whea- 

 ls completed, but slowly, and iu five cases out of six they cannot 

 come too slowly. Haste over this critical period ruins flavor and 

 texture for keeping cheese. The time-table for a well ordered 

 factory in New England, for the month of Jul}' might be: First 

 vat set at half-past seven ; 90° reached at half-past ten ; dipping to 



