THE CHEESE-MAKING PROCESS. 147 



temperature or the measure of any ingredients. Thus the degree 

 of heat at setting the milk, although the skill to feel when it is 

 right is deemed highly important, is almost never measured, even 

 in the best dairies. The quantity of rennet is guessed at, and its 

 strength not exactly known. The quantity of salt used is unde- 

 fined, and the time of sweating or curing of cheese, when made, 

 is left to accident. 



With regard to some of these points, however, it has been 

 found (as reported to the Royal Agricultural Society) that in 

 some of the best dairies, the milk, when judged to be of the right 

 temperature for coagulating, was by the thermometer at 82 F. 

 (variations from 76 to 88). From four to sixteen square 

 inches of rennet skin in a pint of water (generally four square 

 inches), were used to make the cheese from fifty gallons of milk, 

 and 1 Ib. to 1 Ib. 4 ounces salt to the same quantity. It is 

 thought that the best cheese is made with less salt than this. 

 The heat of the milk-room was found to vary from 64 to 78 in 

 August, and it was thought desirable that it should be cooler than 

 this. The reporter thought that a temperature of 50 would be 

 most approved throughout the year. I never heard of ice being 

 used in any way in a Cheshire dairy. 



Some of the best dairy-maids claim to have "secrets" by which 

 they are enabled to surpass others ; but it is certain that they do 

 not lessen the necessity for extreme cleanliness, nicety, and close 

 observation and judgment, and that with this, in addition to what 

 is everywhere known and practiced, there is no mystery neces- 

 sary to produce the best.* 



* " A cheese dairy is a manufactory a workshop and is, in truth, a place of hard 

 work. That studied outward neatness, which is to be seen in the show dairies of differ- 

 ent districts, may be in character where butter is the only object, but would be superflu- 

 ous in a cheese dairy. If the room, the utensils, the dairy-woman and her assistants be 

 sufficiently clean to give perfect sweetness to the produce, no matter for the color or the 

 arrangement. The scouring-wisp gives an outward fairness, but is frequently an enemy 



