THE CHEESE-MAKING- PROCESS. 171 



the process, or as to the temperature or the measure of any 

 ingredients. Thus the degree of heat at setting the milk, 

 although the skill to feel when it is right is deemed highly 

 important, is almost never measured, even in the best dairies. 

 The quantity of rennet is guessed at, and its strength not ex 

 actly known. The quantity of salt used is undefined, and the 

 time for sweating or curing of the cheese, when made, is left 

 to be accidental. 



With regard to some of these points, however, it has been 

 found (as reported to the Royal Agricultural Society) that 

 in some of the best dairies the milk, when judged to be of 

 the right temperature for coagulating, was by the thermome 

 ter at 82 F. (variations from 76 to 88). From four to six 

 teen square inches of rennet skin in a pint of water (generally 

 four square inches) were used to make the cheese from fifty 

 gallons of milk, and 1 Ib. to 1 Ib. 4 ounces salt to the same 

 quantity. It is thought that the best cheese is made with 

 less salt than this. The heat of the milk-room was found to 

 vary from 64 to 78 in August, and it was thought desirable 

 that it should be cooler than this. The reporter thought that 

 a temperature of 50 would be most approved throughout the 

 year. I never saw or heard of ice being used in any way in 

 a Cheshire dairy. 



Some of the best dairy-maids claim to have secrets by 

 which they are enabled to surpass others, but it is certain that 

 they do not lessen the necessity for extreme cleanliness, ni 

 cety, and close observation and judgment, and that with this, 

 in addition to what is everywhere known and practised, there 

 is no mystery necessary to produce the best.* 



&quot; A cheese dairy is a manufactory a workshop and is, in truth, a 

 place of hard work. That studied outward neatness which is to be seen in 

 the show dairies of different distfccts may be in character where butter is 

 the only object, but would be superfluous in a cheese dairy. If the room, 



