THE DAIRY. 249 



When the weather &quot;becomes warmer we use the milk with one mess skimmed, and then 

 the temperature would be at 82 and heat up to 92, keeping to this temperature. The 

 milk would require thirty-five minutes to coagulate. We are accustomed- to have coagulation 

 occur sooner than some factories, as some let it run an hour, or even an hour and ten 

 minutes. By scalding as low as 88, the curd keeps soft and the acid is developed before the 

 curd becomes solid. We use more rennet, less salt, and less heat when making skim-milk 

 cheese, than without skimming the milk. The salt is applied upon the slightest appearance 

 of the acid. We use it at the rate of one and one-half pounds of salt to the thousand 

 pounds of milk. The appearance of the cheese after coming from the press must be the 

 guide to the temperature, and according to the appearance of the cheese is determined the 

 place upon the shelves. The curd should be put to press as soon as convenient after grinding, 

 and before it gets too cool to face well. 



If it failed to face, we used hot water and hot cloths under the follower and hot water 

 upon the press board. If too much rennet was used, the curd would be rather slimy, and it 

 would not unite as well, but if the rennet was sweet, the taste would not be affected. If too 

 much rennet was used, some of the excess would be held at least mechanically in the curd, 

 and would appear in the color. 



We use with all new milk in spring manufacture a temperature of 88, heating to 94, 

 and in curing we would not use over 65 in the dry-house such a handling would produce 

 a fine-flavored cheese. The action of heat facilitates the action of the rennet. We would 

 use more heat after applying the rennet. As a general thing we do not think 2 or 3 in 

 temperature would make a great difference in the price of the cheese when made. We 

 think time would modify the slight excess of temperature. We would heat whole milk up 

 to 96 in the summer time.&quot; 



Use Of Thermometers in Cheese-Making. Thermometers should always be used 

 in testing the temperature of milk when set, that is, when the rennet is put in. It is too 

 often the case that they are entirely ignored in the dairy. Dr. Voelcker says with reference 

 to this subject: 



&quot;It is really amusing to see the animosity with which some people look upon the 



thermometer. It is true that there are not many dairies in which it may not be found; but 



if we took pains to ascertain in how many of these it is in constant use, I believe that the 



proportion would not exceed five per cent. This is a great pity, for a tolerably good one can 



now be bought or replaced at a trifling cost. 



Some years ago I gave a lecture on cheese-making to a number of farmers wives and 

 dairy-women on the estates of the late Lord Fitzhardinge. At the close of my remarks I 

 invited discussion, and after a little while a lady got up and said, Well, doctor, what you 

 have to tell us is all very well, but can you make cheese ? Yes, I think 1 can, I answered; 

 but at any rate I will try, if 1 have a fair chance, and see the thing done from beginning to 

 end. The produce of a great many cheese dairies is spoilt by the cows being milked with 

 dirty hands and so forth. Very well, said she, if you will come I will send for you. I 

 was then residing in the neighborhood. A date was agreed upon, and at half -past five, on a 

 cold morning, she sent her trap and I drove five miles to see the cows milked. When the 

 rennet was about to be put in I asked her whether the temperature was right. So she dipped 

 in her hands and said, Yes, I think that will do. On inserting the thermometer, however, 

 I found it was just 10 lower than it ought to be. 



At this her husband, a smock-frocked farmer who was standing by, said, Ah ! Sally, I 

 tell you, you have spoiled many a cheese for me by feeling the milk with your hands instead 

 of testing it with the instrument. Well, at last a large cheese was made and marked, and 

 when sold it brought more money than she had been in the habit of getting. After this 

 nearly all the farmers in the neighborhood presented their wives with a thermometer apiece. 



