SALTING AND PRESSING. 1 71 



neatly inside the hoops) and both are put on top of 

 the cap cloth. The curd is now weighed or measured, 

 and firmly packed into the hoop. The temperature 

 of the curd at this time may be from 80 to 85 degrees 

 F., although no special harm will result if the tem- 

 perature be a few degrees above or below the range 

 given. There is a tendency for " open " cheese to be 

 produced if curds be put to press at extreme tempera- 

 tures. When the hoop is full, the bandager is care- 

 fully removed and the bandage is left in the hoop 

 and around the curd. On top of the curd another 

 clean cap cloth is spread, and on top of this a wooden 

 follower, which should fit closely in the hoop, is 

 placed. After all the curd is in the hoops they are 

 put under pressure. 



Two kinds of presses are in use among Canadian 

 cheesemakers upright single screw presses, and hori- 

 zontal gang presses. The latter are now more gener- 

 ally used, as they are more convenient. Continuous 

 pressure is applied by means of a spring head, by a 

 lever and weight, and by a water wheel, as well as by 

 other devices. 



Pressure should be applied very gradually to the 

 curd, and the full pressure of about one ton for each 

 cheese should not be applied until the cheese have 

 been in the press for some time. 



At the end of about one hour the cheese should be 

 removed from the press, and the operation known as 

 " dressing the cheese " be performed. This consists 

 of pulling up the bandage to remove wrinkles, paring 

 the end on which the follower rested so as to make it 



