.426 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch. XXXVII. 



at all coagulated, for the forming of the curd must not be tampered 

 with. If it has been set together too hot, the opposite means, under 

 the same precautions, may be resorted to ; but the more general 

 ]>ractice is, to suffer the process to proceed, hot as it is, until the first 

 quantity of whey is taken off" ; a part of which, being set to cool, is 

 then returned into the tub to cool the curd. If too little appears to 

 have been used, it renders the curd exceedingly tender, and therefore 

 an additional quantity may be put in ; but this must be done before 

 the coagulation takes place, for, if added afterwards, it will be of 

 little effect, as it cannot be used without disturbing the curd ; which 

 can then only acquire a proper degree of toughness, by having some 

 lieated whey poured over it. 



Within an hour and a half, as already mentioned, if all goes on 

 well, the coagulation will be formed — a point which is determined by 

 gently pressing the surface of the milk with the back of the hand ; 

 but in this test experience is the only guide, for the firmness of the 

 curd, if the milk be set hot together, will be much greater than that 

 from milk which has been set cold together. If the curd be firm, the 

 usual practice is to take a common case-knife, and make incisions 

 across it to the full depth of the blade, at the distance of about one 

 inch, and again crosswise in the same manner, the incisions inter- 

 secting each other at right angles. The cheese-maker and two 

 assistants then proceed to break the curd, by repeatedly putting their 

 hands down into the tub, and breaking every part of it as small as 

 possible ; this part of the business being continued until the whole is 

 uniformly broken small : it generally takes up about forty minutes, 

 and the curd is tlien left, covered over with a cloth, for about half an 

 hour, to subside. 



The bottom of the tub is now set rather atilt, the curd is collected to 

 the upper side of it, and a board is introduced, of a semicircular form, 

 to fit loosely one-half of the tub's bottom. This board is placed on 

 the curd, and a 60 lb. weight upon it, to press out the whey, which, 

 draining to the lower side of the tilted tub, is ladled out into brass 

 pans. Such parts of the curd as are pressed from under the board, 

 are cut off" with a knife, placed under the weighted board, and again 

 pressed : the operation being repeated again and again until the whey 

 is entirely drawn from the curd. The whole mass of curd is then 

 turned upside down, and put on the other side of the tub, to be pressed 

 as before. The board and weight being removed, the curd is after- 

 wards cut into pieces of about eight or nine inches square, piled upon 

 each other, and pressed both with the weight and hand : these several 

 operations being repeatedly performed as long as any whey appears 

 to remain in it. 



The next thing is to cut the curd into three nearly equal portions, one 

 of which is taken into a brass pan, and is there by two women broken 

 extremely fine; a large handful of salt being added, and well mixed 

 with it. That portion of curd being sufficiently broken, is put into a 

 cheese-vat, which is placed to receive ii, on a cheese-ladder over the 

 cheese tub : the vat being furnished with a coarse cheese-cloth. The 

 second and third portions of the curd are treated in the same manner, 

 and emptied into the vat ; except that into the middle ])orlion eight, 

 nine, or ten times the quantity of salt is usually put. 13y some dairy- 

 women, however, each portion is sailed alike, and with no more than 

 three large handfuls to each. The breaking takes up more or less 



