988 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



become the deeper in proportion to the age of the cheese. The mixing of the arnotto 

 in no respect affects either its taste or smell. 



6342. In the county of Cheshire, however, a somewhat different practice obtains. There, when the color- 

 ing matter is wanted, it is usual to tie up as much of the substance as may be deemed sufficient, in a 

 linen rag ; and putting it into half a pint of warm water, to let it stand over night. In the morning, im- 

 mediately before the milk is coagulated, the whole of this infusion is mixed with it in the cheese-tub, and 

 the rag is dipped in the milk, and rubbed on the palm of the hand, until all the coloring matter is com- 

 pletely extracted. A more simple method is directed by Parkinson : " Take," says he, " a piece about the 

 size of a hazel nut, put it into a pint of milk the night before you intend to make cheese, and it will dissolve. 

 A'dd it to the milk at the time the rennet is put in. The quantity will suffice to color a cheese of twenty 

 pounds weight." {Parkinson on Live Stock, vol. i. p. 62.) 



6343. Setting the curd. The proper season for making cheese is from the beginning 

 of May till the close of September, or, in favorable seasons till the middle of October. 

 Very good cheese, how^ever, may be made in winter, provided the cows be well fed. A 

 certain elevation of temperature is requisite to the coagulation of milk, and it may natur- 

 ally be supposed to be nearly that of the stomachs of milk-taking animals. Marshal 

 is of opinion that from 85 to 90 degrees of heat, and two hours of time are the fittest 

 for coagulation. Climate, season, weather, and pasture may require that these limits 

 should sometimes be violated. Milk produced from poor clays will require to be coa- 

 gulated at a higher temperature than that which is procured from rich pastures. In some 

 dairies the milk is heated to the proper temperature ; but the most approved practice is 

 to mix boiling water in such a proportion as shall render the milk of a proper degree of 

 heat to receive the rennet ; this the thermometer should be used to determine. In hot 

 weather the milk in the cows' udders is liable to become very much agitated by their 

 running about, or being driven to too great a distance : so that if rennet be put to it in 

 this state, the curd, instead of coming in one or two hours, will require three, four, 

 or five hours, and will be so spongy, tough, and in every respect so imperfect, as to be 

 scarcely capable of being confined in the press or vat ; and when released from the press, 

 it will heave or split, and be good for little. Whenever therefore cows are discovered to 

 be in this state, which, perhaps, can scarcely be avoided during very hot weather, where 

 cows are pastured abroad, in unsheltered grounds, or where water is not within their 

 reach ; it will be advisable to add some cold fresh spring water to the milk as soon as it 

 is brought into the dairy. The quantity to be mixed, in order to impart the proper 

 degree of heat, can in this case only be regulated by experience and the use of the 

 thermometer. The effect of the water thus added, will in both cases be, to make the 

 rennet take effect much sooner, and consequently to accelerate the coagulation of 

 the milk. 



6344. The proportion of rennet and time requisite for coagulation have been already men- 

 tioned (6339. 6343.) ; too much rennet ought not to be put in, otherwise the cheese will be 

 ready to heave, as well as become rank and strong ; the same effects will also be produced 

 if the rennet be made witli bad or foul materials, or if it be too strong to operate in the 

 given time (two hours). During the process the milk ought to be covered so as not 

 to lose more than five or seven degrees of its orginal heat. One or two handfuls of salt 

 added previously to mixing the rennet will promote coagulation. Some put in a bowl, 

 which is an absurd ancient custom, is injurious rather than useful. 



6345. When the coagulation has taken place, the curd is broken or cut with a cheese 

 knife, which causes the whey to rise through the incisions, and the curd sinks with more 

 ease. After a short time the cutting is repeated, still more freely than before ; and is 

 continued until the curd is reduced to small uniform particles. This operation will re- 

 quire about three quarters of an hour : the cheese tub is again covered with a cloth, and 

 is allowed to remain for the same time. When the curd has sunk to the bottom of the 

 vessel, the whey is taken off by the hand, or by means of a skimming-dish ; another 

 quarter of an hour should now be allowed for the curd to settle, drain, and become solid, 

 before it is broken into the vat, as it prevents the fat from being squeezed out through 

 the fingers, and of course contributes to improve the quality of the cheese. Sometimes 

 in addition to the skimming-dish, a semicircular board and weight, adapted to the size of 

 the tub, are employed. The curd is again cut as before, in order to promote the free 

 separation of the whey, and pressure is again applied till it be wholly drawn off. Great 

 attention is requisite in conducting this part of the business ; and if any particles of slip 

 curd should be seen floating in the whey, it ought to be carefully laded off with tlie 

 whey; as it will not incorporate with the solid curd, but, dissolving in the cheese, 

 causes whey-springs, as already mentioned, and materially impairs its soundness. If 

 the whey be of a green color, when loaded or pressed out, it is a certain criterion that 

 the curd has been properly formed : but if it be of white color, it is equally certain that 

 the coagulation is imperfect, the cheese will be sweet, and of little value, and much 

 valuable caseous matter will be completely thrown away. In the counties of Norfolk 

 and Suffolk, the cheese manufacturers have recourse to a somewhat different method for 

 extracting the whey, which is worthy of notice : when they think the milk sufficiently 

 coagulated, they lay a strainer in a basket made for the purpose ; into which they put the 



