422 - BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch. XXXVIl. 



contained in the maw of tlie calf, pains are taken to increase it as much as 

 possible, by giving to the animal as much milk as it can be made to swal- 

 low, a few hours before it is killed ; for tho chyle being formed by the 

 mixture of the gastric juice with the food, and tiiat gastric juice being the 

 coagulating power, both are therefore carefully preserved, and are con- 

 sidered as thus forming a stronger rennet than can be drawn from the bag 

 alone. It is thus prepared : — 



" When the stomach, or bag. is taken from the calf's body, its contents are examined, 

 and if any straw or other food be found among the curdled milk, such impurity is 

 removed ; but no part of the chyle is suffered to be lost. At least two handfuls of salt 

 are put into the bag, and upon its outside, after which it is rolled up in salt, and hung 

 near a fire, where it is always allowed to hang until it is well dried, and it is understood 

 to be improved by hanging a year, or longer, before being infused. 



" When rennet is wanted, the ' yirniiig,' as it is called in Scotland, with its contents, 

 is cut small, and put into ajar with a handful or two of salt ; and a quantity either of soft 

 water, that has been boiled, and cooled to about 65°, or of new whey taken off the curd, 

 is put upon the bag in the jar. The quantity of water, or whey, to infuse the bag, is more 

 or less according to the quality of the yirning. If it is that of a new dropped calf, that has 

 not been fed, three English pints will he enough ; but if he has been fed for four or five 

 weeks, a couple of quarts may, at least, be put on the bag to mash : it should, however, 

 be observed that the yirning of a calf four weeks old yields more rennet than that of one 

 twice that age. After the infusion has remained in the jar from one to three days, the 

 liquid is drawn off, and an English pint more water, or whey, put on the bag in the jar; 

 and that, after standing in mash one or two days, is also drawn off, and, with that of the 

 first infusion, strained, if any impurities appear in the liquor ; the whole being put up 

 in bottles for use as rennet, and the bag being thrown on the dunghill, without ever 

 being put into the milk. Some put about a dram of good whisky into each quart bottle 

 of the rennet ; and it may be either used immediately, or kept for an many months as 

 may be convenient." 



A table-spoonful of rennet, thus made, will, it is said by Mr. Alton, co- 

 agulate thirty gallons of milk ; but its great superiority over our common 

 practice is, that it will curdle the milk in five or ten minutes, whereas the 

 En'^lish rennet requires from one to sometimes three hours, in order to 

 form the curd : a defect owing chiefly to the removal of the curdled milk. 

 As to the chyle occasioning a harsh taste to the cheese — the reverse, Mr. 

 Alton says, "is proved by the mild flavour of that made in Scotland*. It 

 must, however, be admitted that, unless great care be employed in the im- 

 mediate preparation of rennet, thus made, the curd is extremely apt to be- 

 come rancid, and thus impart a certain degree of rankness to the cheesef. 



WHOLE-WILK CHEESE. 



The mode of making sweet-milk cheese — that is, cheese made of milk 

 which has not been skimmed— is, to put the ladder across the cheese- 

 tub, with a large canvas cloth covering the whole, in order to prevent 

 the falling of milk upon the floor, or any other matter into the tub ; 

 and above this is placed the sieve through which the milk is to be strained. 

 It should be of the temperature of 90° to 95°, and if below S5° degrees, a 

 portion of it should be placed in a deep brass pan, which is then immersed 

 in the water which is kept hot in the wash-house. By this means the 

 whole is warmed equally, and it is of the utmost importance that attention 

 be paid to it, for if the milk be not warm enough when the rennet is put 

 to it, the curd will be tender, and the cheese will bulge out at the sides ; 

 and, if too hot, it will cause it to swell or " heave," and become spongy : 



* Aiton on Dairy Husbandry, p. 154. 



+ In a case of emergency, it is said that a decoction of the yellow flowers of the herb 

 called '• clieese rennet," or •' yellow lady"s bed straw," which blossoms in July and 

 August, will answer every purpose. — Complete Grazier, 6th edit. p. 146. 



