236 THE BOOK OF CHEESE 



where it is tied with a stout string. After fixing them 

 all (as many as there are cheeses) in this way, they are 

 ready for the press. 



The cheeses are pressed between two wooden planks, 

 12 inches wide, Ij inches thick, by whatever length is 

 required for the number of cheeses to be pressed. One 

 plank is nailed on supports at a convenient height from 

 the floor on a little slant for the whey to drain off better. 

 The cheeses in the press cloths are placed at the proper 

 distance apart so they do not touch. Then the other 

 plank is put squarely over the top of the cheese and levers 

 about four feet long at an interval of five feet are placed 

 over this plank, from a cleat in the wall, on the other end 

 of which is placed a heavy weight of about 100 pounds, 

 which acts as an automatic pressure. The cheeses are 

 left in the press until the next morning, when they are 

 taken out and put on the shelves in the curing-room. 

 The cheeses have no bandage or covering, and do not 

 seem to crock, and they form a very good rind. 



The cheese is a sweet variety, weighs six and one-half 

 pounds cured and cures in about three weeks ready to 

 ship, and sells at 16 to 25 cents a pound wholesale. Most 

 of the work seems to lie in forming and rolling the curd in 

 press cloths before pressing. Trouble is experienced by 

 the makers, especially in warm climates in summer, in 

 not having the milk at a uniform acidity when rennet is 

 added. Great improvements could be made in this cheese 

 by using an acidimeter, paraffining and curing the cheese 

 in an even temperature, not much over 60 F. 



Old and hard Jack cheese is also employed for grat- 

 ing and cooking, while the fresh is used for the table, 



221. The washed-curd process has been developed 

 in recent years largely in the state of New York. In 



