Vermont Dairymen's Association. 37 



not so very much difference in the character of the cheese that is 

 made. I am fairly familiar with the character of United States 

 cheese, not only here but further west, New York State, Ohio 

 and Wisconsin. Cheese has come to the front in all the great 

 dairying states. 



I am here to talk to you a short time this afternoon on : 



THE COOL CURING OF CHEESE. 



By J. A. RuDDiCK, 

 Dairy Commissioner, Ottawa, Canada. 



There is probably no phase of dairying in America to-day 

 which is receiving more attention than the question of the cool 

 curing of cheese and all it involves. As the Dairy Division at 

 Ottawa has had some considerable share in awakening this in- 

 terest it would seem to be desirable that a fairly complete state- 

 ment should be submittjcd as to the means which have been em- 

 ployed with that end in view. 



Our work has been almost entirely along commercial lines 

 as distinguished from those of scientific research. In saying 

 that I do not wish to be understood as underestimating the value 

 of the work of the scientist ; the two lines of work are neces- 

 sarily different. The scientific worker must seek the truth 

 wherever he can find it, and cannot be influenced by considera- 

 tions of expediency or practicability, but those who would apply 

 these truths in commercial undertakings must ever be guided 

 by such practical questions as expense on the one hand and pos- 

 sible gain on the other. Thus when we come to the study of the 

 influence of temperature in the ripening or curing of cheese, we 

 find that there are two sides to the question. The scientific in- 

 vestigator must determine the best possible temperature regard- 

 less of time, cost,, or any other consideration, but commercial 

 exigencies will decide how far the investigator may be followed 

 by those who are trying to make a living out of the cheese 

 business. 



Now we hear of cheese having been cured with good re- 

 sults at a temperature as low as 40 degrees, and even much 

 lower than that for experimental purposes. It is claimed, not 

 without reason I believe, that some of the cheese cured at 

 this low temperature have turned out better than others which 

 have cured at moderately low temperatures ranging between 50 

 and 60 degrees. The improvement appears to be the most 

 noticeable in cheese made from tainted milk and which develop 

 bad flavors at ordinary temperatures. I doubt very much, how- 

 ever, if as low a temperature as 40 degrees will ever be adopted 



