Temperature in Relation to Cheese-Ripening. 421 



perative that these shall be cured under conditions where the loss 

 of moisture shall be smaller. I am not surprised that the manu- 

 facture of small cheeses of the cheddar type has been discouraged. 

 Even at the higher prices brought, the extra loss of moisture and 

 additional cost of manufacture are not satisfactorily covered. 



Influence of Temperature of Ripening Upon Commercial 



Quality of Cheese. 



When cheese comes into market, it must be judged by certain 

 commercial standards that have come to be recognized, and so it 

 is important that this kind of judgment be applied to any ex- 

 perimental work that deals with conditions affecting in any way 

 the commercial quality of cheese. Our cheeses have been examined 

 from time to time both by our own station expert and also by 

 others whose assistance has been called in at intervals. 



1. In every instance, cheeses cured at lower temperatures were 

 scored higher after two and three months than those cured at 

 higher temperatures, though there was in some cases little or no 

 difference between the temperatures 60° and 55° F. 



2. Cheese cured at 70° or more scored less at six months than at 

 three; while cheese cured at 55° F. scored higher in both cases, 

 and, moreover, showed decided improvement in flavor at six 

 months as compared with three months. The rule is for cheese 

 cured at higher temperatures to acquire a more pronounced flavor, 

 sooner or later becoming more or less sharp. Cheese cured at 

 lower temperatures acquires a mild flavor and retains a uniform 

 flavor for a much longer period of time. 



I do not know that any one is yet in position to say with any 

 degree of fullness how r cheese acquires its flavors, but that they are 

 bacterial products we generally hold and with reason; but the 

 details of the problem remain to be worked out. 



The influence of temperature upon the texture or body of cheese 

 is marked. At temperatures of 60° F. and below the texture was 

 rarely found otherwise than perfect, while at 65° F. and above it 

 was generally imperfect, especially after two or three months. 

 At higher temperatures the great tendency is to become crumbly 

 and mealy to a greater or less extent, becoming more marked as 

 the cheese becomes older. This is undoubtedly due to the drying 

 out of the cheese or loss of moisture. 



In a recent conversation with on 9 of our New York cheese- 

 uiakers, a gentleman who operates twenty-two factories, he told 



