156 AGRICULTURE 



after the desired temperature has been 

 reached, and then the curd may be allowed 

 to settle or " pitch," until the particles have 

 contracted to about half their original size, 

 and become u shotty," i.e. hard enough when 

 pressed between the fingers to fall apart 

 when the pressure is relaxed, exhibiting no 

 tendency to stick together. 



After the curd has settled long enough 

 (somewhere about forty-five minutes) to 

 ensure the proper consistency of the curd 

 and the right amount of acid, the whey may 

 be withdrawn. 



In dealing with acid curds, it will be 

 necessary to remove part of the whey either 

 just after cutting (when very acid), or after 

 the maximum scald is reached, leaving just 

 enough whey to float the curd till it is 

 sufficiently dry. 



The whey contains the milk sugar which 

 is the cause of the acidity. 



From the time of cutting till the whey is 

 drawn acidity develops from .14% to . 



