394 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



Mesbly drawn, will redden litmus paper, yet to the taste is perfectly sweet. The milk from 

 cows at pasture aiiU led with whey or slops is more acid tbuu that troui those which got 

 uotbiug bur grass ou sweet u])liiud pastures. But if by chance or accident the milk is sensibly 

 changed when about to be made into cheese, it should be set at a low temperature, and all 

 the subsequent openitious hastened as far as practicable. Could tliere be some simple instiii- 

 nient devised for deteruiining the acidity of milk, it might be used with much advantage in 

 cheese making. The most practicable method, and one which we now employ, is by testing 

 the evening's milk in the morning by the thermometer. This, with experience and close 

 observation, will serve as a guide for conducting operations. 



'"Our remarks on the use of sour whey, it may be observed, arc more applicable to family 

 cheese making than to factory manufacture, since there are various causes to hasten acidity 

 in factory milk, and it is impossible to watch the milk as thoroughly as where it is under the 

 immediate eye of the mauul'acturer from the moment it is drawn from the cow until it is turned 

 into cheese. 



'■ When the evening's milk stands in the morning at or below G2° the morning's milk may 

 be added to it, and at the time of putting in the rennet a tpumtity of sour whey should be 

 added and stirred into the mass in proportion of two quarts of whey for eveiy sixty or seventy 

 gallons of milk. If the night's milk stands below C(J°, a larger quantity of whey may be 

 used, and the quantity of whey always graduated according to the degree of sweetness of the 

 milk. If the evening's milk stands at or above (J5° in the morning no sour whey need be 

 iLsed, as the milk is on its way towards a change, or has acquired sufficient acidity to render 

 the use of the whey not only unnecessary, but a damage from an excess of acid. 



'' When milk has not been treated with sour whey at the time of adding the rennet, and 

 there is dilKculty in cooking the curd, it will be better to add to the mass, while cooking, a 

 sufficient quantity of sour whey to harden up the curd; but it is always better, when prsicti- 

 cable, to use the whey at the time of setting the cheese, as by that means the coagulation is 

 rendered more perfect, while more of the butyraceous matter is retained, and the cheese con- 

 sequently richer and of finer texture and flavor. 



'• When acid is used in this way to assist the rennet in its work of coagulation, it passes 

 off in whey and in pressing and in the cheese-room, leaving the cheese sweet, mild, firm, rich, 

 and of finest texture. It has none of the characteristics of cheese made from milk sensibly 

 sour, as in that case it will be hard, and retain an acid taste. 



'•In hot weather there will be no occasion to use the whey, unless the milk is cooled down 

 with running vv'uter and ice at a low temperature, and so held through the night. We may 

 remark here that it is presumed the milk-room, dairy utensils, &c., are to be kept sweet and 

 clean, for if otherwise it will be useless to attempt to have uniformity of manufacture, for no 

 degree of skill in manufacture will be able to counteract all the damage done when the miik 

 i.> constantly absorbing sour or putrid emanations, or when taints are received from uuckan 

 dairy utensils. 



'• The whey shoidd be distinctly acid, about like that coming from a sweet curd in summer 

 weather, and standing twenty-four hours. If the weather be cool, the whey must bo kept in 

 a warm temperature, in order to acquire the requisite acidity. 



"Milk treated as above with sour whey will produce curd that will be all that can be de- 

 sired, which will work down evenly and without trouble, the cheese coming with a firm, com- 

 pact texture, retaining more of the butyraceous matter, and having that mild, rich, pleasant 

 tiavor peculiar to first-class cheese, while at the same time it will add in quantity, and save 

 that which would otherwise go off in the whey and be lost." 



The temperature of the milk when the rennet is added is next to be attended 

 to, and is a point of much importance. It has been found by experiment that 

 milk coagulates soonest when at a temperature of about 115^. I detect but 

 little difference in the time from 110° to 120", but above or below this point the 

 time refjuircd was longer, and a degree of heat equal to IGO^ or upwards seemed 

 entirely to destroy the coagula<,ing power of the rennet. When curdled at so 

 high a temperature as 115° the product is much injured. I'he proper temper- 

 ature, as determined by experience, is usually from b5° to SS', and the whole 

 range admissible, uuder the varying conditions which sometimes occur, h not 

 more than 10^ — namely, from 80° to 90°. If set below 80^ the curd is long 

 in comuig, (unless an excess of rennet is added, which is highly objectionable,) 

 is too tender, and the separation of the whey is attended with great labor, and 

 unless extreme care is used, with loss also. It' it be set at a temperature above 

 90° the curd assumes a toughness which is objectionable, and the cheese made 

 from it is hard and of inferior quality. 



How shall tlie proper temperature be determined] Our reply is, by the use 

 of the thermometer, and in no other way. Th*; answer given by the practice 

 of a mnjority of dairy women is, by the feeling, by judgment, by the verdict of 



