260 ACORN FORM. — GLOUCESTER CHEESE. 



the weather is moist or damp, this is done twice a day 

 during two or three months. It is occasionally pow- 

 dered with flour, and plunged into hot water. This 

 hardens the outer coat and favors the internal ferment- 

 ation, and thus produces what is called the ripening 

 of the cheese. Sometimes it is made in a net like a 

 cabbage-net, which gives it the form of an acorn." 



The maturity of Stilton cheeses is sometimes has- 

 tened by putting them in a bucket, and covering them 

 over with horse-dung. 



Gloucester Cheese is likewise quite celebrated for 

 its richness, piquancy, and delicacy of flavor, and justly 

 commands a high price in the market. The manage- 

 ment of the milk up to the time of curding is similar to 

 that of Cheshire ; a cheese, often being made of one 

 meal, requires no additional heat to raise it to a proper 

 temperature. After the curd is cut into small squares, 

 the whey is carefully drained off through a hair strainer. 

 The cutting is repeated every thirty minutes till the 

 whey is removed, when it is put into vats and covered 

 with dry cloths, and placed in the press. After remain- 

 ing a sufficient length of time, it is put into a curd-mill 

 and cut or ground into small pieces, when it is again 

 packed in fine canvas cloth, and put in the cheese-vat. 

 Hot water or whey is poured over the cloth, to harden 

 the rind and prevent its cracking. " The curd is next 

 turned out of the vat into the cloth, and, the inside of 

 the vat being washed with whey, the inverted curd 

 with the cloth is returned to the vat. The cloth is then 

 folded over, and the vat put into the press for two 

 hours, when it is taken out, and dry cloths applied dur- 

 ing the course of the day. It is then replaced in the 

 press until salted, which operation is generally performed 

 about twenty-four hours after it is made. In salting the 

 cheese, it is rubbed with finely-powdered salt, and this 



