DAIRY MANAGEMENT, THE MILK TRADE, ETC. 99 



making will do well to study these papers and to serve a 

 short apprenticeship in one of the best dairies in the country. 

 Dr. Voelcker was convinced that the food has undoubtedly an 

 influence on the quality of cheese ; but the method of manu- 

 facture is still more important in determining its quality and 

 character. The chief points deserving study are the complete 

 separation of the whey from the curd, the heating of the 

 curd, and the development of acidity. Various makers adopt 

 different methods of attempting to obtain the ends in view ; 

 some lose a part of the fat, which is carried off in the whey, 

 while others, by a too early or too pronounced acidity, produce 

 a cheese which does not properly mature. The first idea of a 

 cheese factory was derived from America, where the system is 

 general, and the great and rapid improvement that has been 

 made during the last few years in the quality of American 

 cheese is undoubtedly due to more scientific treatment and the 

 development of the sweet curd system. The experiment in this 

 country was tried first in Derbyshire, where factories at Long- 

 ford a;Qd Brailsford have been in operation since 1870; these 

 have since been supplemented by several others, including 

 two built by the Duke of Westminster, and one, the most 

 important of all, at Sudbury, the property of Lord Yemon, 

 who takes a deep interest in the subject. Notwithstanding 

 prejudice and trade opposition, these undertakings continue, 

 although the result during the past year or two does not 

 warrant their imitation. The saving of drudgery to the 

 farmer's family in escaping from the details of cheese 

 making, may endear the system to farmers' wives, whilst the 

 economy of labour should give better results in the long run 

 than could be looked for from private enterprise ; but, so far, 

 factory cheese in England cannot compete with that made by 

 private individuals, who devote greater study and intelligence 

 to the work. 



Milk consists of casein, albumen, butter or fat globules, milk 

 sugar, and mineral matters. In the preparation of cheese, the 

 curd, a term applied to the solid portions of the milk, is separated 

 by means either of lactic acid, which forms when the milk 

 becomes sour, or by the addition of rennet. In skim-milk 

 cheese-making the curd is almost pure casein, in whole milk 



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