Dkpartmext of Dairy Ixdustrv. 435 



Airing. — After milling, the pieces of curd should be well stirred, kept 

 apart, and freely exposed to fresh air. 



Salting. — After the pieces of curd have become well contracted and 

 shrunken, with a silky mellow feeling, they are ready to be salted. The 

 curd will now show about 12 inch on the hot-iron test, and the whey 

 oozing from the curd will show .9o'^t' to 1.% acid on the acidimeter. 

 Generally, ih to 2-| pounds of salt per 1000 pounds of milk is sufficient. 

 The more salt used the drier will be the cheese. The salt should be 

 evenly distributed over the curd in at least three applications, accom- 

 panied by plenty of stirring. There should be no lumps in either the 

 curd or the salt. 



Hooping. — As soon as the salt has all been taken up by the curd and 

 it has become mellow and has cooled to about 85 degrees Fahr., it is 

 ready for hooping. 



Pressing. — The cttrd should be weighed into the cheese hoops to insure 

 tmiformity in the size of the cheese. Pressure should be light at first, 

 and be gradually increased. Cheese should remain in the presses at 

 least 18 hours, and preferably 42 hours. 



Dressing. — Too much care cannot be taken in finishing a cheese for 

 market. It should be ready to dress within 30 to 45 minutes after 

 pressure is first applied. Then the bandages are pulled up and made 

 free from wrinkles, and trimmed to about one inch on each end. Plenty 

 of hot water and clean soft press cloths should be used to insure a good 

 rind on the cheese. The cheese will have a better finish if it is turned 

 in the press the following morning. The appearance of a cheese is a 

 good indication of its quality. 



5. The Curing and Subsequent Handling. 



Cheese is really only half made when it enters the curing room. From 

 that time it has to change from a green indigestible product to a fully 

 ripened palatable and nutritious food. If conditions are not favorable 

 for a proper ripening, the quality of the cheese is injured. The best 

 temperature for ripening is 50 to 55 degrees Fahr., and it should be uni- 

 form. The first week in the life history of a cheese is the most important 

 period in determining its quality, and conditions should be made favor- 

 able during that time at least. The room should have good ventilation 

 and a good circulation of pure air. 



Care of curing room. — The cheese shelves should be washed frequently 

 with boiling water containing a good washing powder, rinsed with hot 



