320 DAIRYING. 



The curd is then cut, using the horizontal knife first and 

 cutting lengthwise of the vat. The cutting is finished from 

 this point with the perpendicular knife, the curd being thus 

 cut into cubes one-half inch in diameter. Without waiting for 

 the curd to settle, begin stirring very carefully with a wire 

 basket, and rub the curd off from the sides of the vat with the 

 hand. As soon as this is done, turn on the heat carefully and 

 raise the temperature slowly to 98° F. ; when the curd is fimi 

 enough a wooden rake is used to stir it. The temperature is 

 raised at the rate of one deg. in 4-5 min. 



As soon as the temperature of 98° F. is reached, begin trying 

 the curd on the hot iron for acid. The curd must be firm enough 

 when the whey is drawn, so that a double handful pressed together 

 will fall apart readily. This is the test for a proper cooking. 

 When fine threads I in. long show on the hot iron the whey is ready 

 to draw.* This should be 2^ hrs. from the time the milk was set. 

 The whey is drawn off by means of a whey gate and strainer, 

 and the curd dipped into a curd-sink or on racks placed in the 

 vat, over which a linen strainer-cloth is thrown. The curd 

 should be stirred on the cloth to facilitate the escape of the 

 whey, and'is then left to mat together. In 15 or 20 min. it can 

 be cut into blocks 8 or 10 ins. squai?, and turned over. After 

 turning several times these blocks can be piled two or three 

 deep. The acid will continue to devclo]) in the curd; wlicn it 

 will string about an inch it will have assumed a stringy or meaty 

 texture, so that it will tear like the meat on a chicken's breast. 



It is then run through the curd-mill and cut up into s"^all 

 pieces. These pieces are stirred up every little while to ai'-. 

 In the course of another hour and a half there will be 2 in. of 

 acid on the curd; it will smell like toasted cheese when pressed 

 against the hot iron, and half fat and half whey will run ouj 



* The acidimeter is sometimes used to take the place of the rennet test 

 and hot iron. The apparatus is sold by firms handling dairy supplies. 

 The milk is set at an acidity of .2 per cent. When cut the whey will 

 have a lower acidity, probably .17 per cent. When the acidity in the 

 whey reaches .2 per cent the whey is drawn. The drawings from the 

 curd will show a rapid increase in acid. This test should be used with 

 care and in combination with rennet test and hot iron. 



