MODERN FARRIER. 389 



salting, and the management of the cheese-room, are 

 all objects of the highest importance to the cheese- 

 manufacturer ; and yet, notwithstanding this, the 

 practice in most of these respects is still regulated 

 by little else than mere chance and custom, without 

 the direction of enlightened observation, or the aid 

 of well-conducted experiment. 



58. Gloucester Cheese. 



In Gloucestershire, where the manufacture of 

 cheese is perhaps as well understood as in any part 

 of the world, they make their best cheeses of a single 

 meal of milk ; and, when this is done in the best 

 manner the entire meal of milk is used, without 

 any addition from a former meal. But it not un- 

 frequently happens that a portion of the milk is re- 

 served, and set by to be skimmed for butter ; and at 

 the next milking this proportion is added to the new 

 milk, from which an equal quantity has been taken 

 for a similar purpose. One meal cheeses are princi- 

 pally made here, and go by the name of hest mahing\ 

 or simply one meal cheeses. In this country, cheeses 

 are distinguished into thin and thich, or single and 

 double. The last having usually four to 'the hun- 

 dred weight, the other about twice that number. 

 . Gloucester cheese is of a pleasant, mild taste, and 

 very agreeable to almost every palate. Mr. Hazard 

 says, that the best double Gloucester is always made 

 from new milk, or (as it is termed by the people of 

 this and the neighbouring counties) ' covered milk ;' 

 but that an inferior sort is made from what they call 

 * half-covered milk;' and when any of these latter 

 happen to be particularly good, they are sold, by 

 such as are not very scrupulous in their dealings, 

 for the ' best covered milk cheese ; but honest 

 farmers,' continues he, * stamp them with a heart- 

 shaped stamp, by which they are distinguished.' 

 The true single Gloucester cheese is thought by. 



