MANUFACTURE OF CHEESE. 399 



American ingenuity has not been idle in this department, but has devised im- 

 plements as much superior to the old cheese-tub formerly used, or even to those 

 now in use in the best European dairies, as the best American plough of to-day 

 is superior to the clumsy wooden one of a century ago, or, for our use at least, 

 to the long, heavy, costly English or Scotch ploughs now highly esteemed 

 abroad. 



First in importance is the cheese vat, in which all the operations may be per- 

 formed up to the time when the curd is ready to go to press. Patent cheese 

 vats of various forms and degrees of merit have more or less extensively been 

 introduced into different sections. Of those now manutiictured and sold. 1 ob- 

 served " Roe's "Western Reserve Vat" in frequent use in northeastern Ohio, and 

 not often elsewhere. In New York the more popular ones are the *" Empire 

 Dairyman" of O'Neil, and the "Oneida Vat" of AVilliam Ralph & Co., Utica, 

 New York. Both are used to considerable extent, are ingeniously devised, con- 

 venient and eminently labor-saving. If called upon to express an opinion of 

 their relative merits, or a preference for one over the other, I would remark that 

 from as critical an examination as I could bestow, and from diligent inquu-y and 

 observation of their practical working and results, the preference would be given 

 to Ralph's Oneida Vat, as most perfectly combining strength and dm-ability of 

 construction and simplicity of arrangement, with evenness of heating, perfect 

 control of temperature, and economy of fuel. This vat was commended in high 

 terms by all whom I consulted who had used it, or had known of its being used. 

 It took the first premium at the New York State exhibition, and at others also. 

 The necessary length of this paper is our excuse for omitting illustrations and 

 a more extended description of this vat. Any one, however, desirous to learn 

 its details can procm-e a descriptive circular by addressing William Ralpli &; 

 Co., Utica, New York. 



The Oneida vat was formerly used chiefly in private dairies, but latterly it 

 has been introduced into factories in place of double vats of somewhat similar 

 coHStruction, but heated by steam, which was supposed to be a cheaper method. 

 A manufacturer of both choice butter and cheese for the southern market from 

 the same milk, and which will be treated of further on, says in a note recently 

 received : 



" At first wo used steam to heat the milk, hut gave that up and adopted Ralph's vatf 

 which Ave find far superior to steam iu safety, economy, and uniformity of the heat, and they 

 are coming into general use in this region. I have already received and forwarded orders to 

 Mr. Ralph for vats for six or seven new factories which have sprung up on our success."' 



Cheese-presses are almost numberless, and greatly varied in construction. 

 In factories where some one is in constant attendance the common screw is 

 much used; but in private dairies it is needful to have a press which will follow 

 up its work without such attention. The best which has fallen under my 

 observation is Oyston's "Herkimer county cheese-press," invented and sold 

 by Charles Oyston, of Little Falls, New York, embracing the application of the 

 toggle-jointed lever. In no other I have seen is the power so easily increased 

 just when it is most needed. As the resistance to compression rapidlv in- 

 creases with the reduction in the size of the object pressed, it is important that 

 the multiplication of the power should increase iu about the same proportion, 

 and this is admirably effected by the toggle joint. 



PRACTICAL OPERATION'S. 



"We will now attempt to describe the method of manufacturing, in private 

 dairies, whole milk into cheese, after the Cheddar, or, which is substantially 

 the same, Herkimer county method, in the way which will produce an article 

 bearing the highest price iu the London market. 



The evening milk, drawn about 5 o'clock p. m., is ttirned into the vat and 

 stirred until its temperature is reduced to 65° Fahrenheit. Cooling is eftl&cted 



