416 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



2. The temperature of the curing-room. 



3. The size of the cheese. 



4. The shape of the cheese. 



5. The proportion of water-vapor present in the air of the cur- 

 ing-room. 



The results to which your attention will he called are based 

 upon averages secured under the special conditions employed, these 

 being temperatures of 80°, 75°, 70°, 65°, 60°, and 55° F., with a 

 moisture content of air varying from 65 to 85 per cent, of satura- 

 tion, and averaging about 75. I would not have you understand 

 that these results are to be accepted as representing all conditions, 

 nor even as representing absolute facts in all cases under the con- 

 ditions employed. They are rather to be received as a general 

 guide and suggestion, some of the details of which may be modi- 

 fied by more extended work. 



For the sake of ready comprehension, the figures express results 

 for 100 pounds of cheese, unless otherwise stated, and the results 

 are given in round numbers. 



The Amount and Rate of Loss of Moisture as Influenced by the 

 Amount of Water Originally Present in Cheese. 



In the table following we show the amount of water present in 

 the green cheese and the amount lost per 100 pounds of cheese for 

 each of four weeks under uniform conditions of moisture and 

 temperature : 



An examination of these figures shows a general and marked 

 tendency for very moist cheese to lose water more rapidly than 

 cheese having less moisture, other conditions being uniform. The 

 cheese having 55 per cent, of moisture at the start, lost about three 

 times as much each week as did the cheese having 20 per cent less 



