334 



THE PRELIMINARY PRESSING. 



over the edges of a low tub, and puts upon the 

 cloth the proper quantity of curd, then ties up the 

 four corners of the cloth, and presses with her whole 

 strength, that the milk may drain off. This work is 

 also done by men who can apply great strength, Fig. 

 121. The corners of the cheese-cloth are brought 

 together, and the operator presses as hard as he can, in 

 order to remove all the milk from the curd. But, as 

 this is not possible with the hands alone, the whole is 

 placed under a plank-press, and by this means as much 

 of the milk as possible is pressed out. A strong cleat 

 is nailed to a pillar in the wall at a convenient height from 

 the floor, — say two feet, — so that the tub, ladder, and 

 cheese-cloth, can be put under the plank, when the 

 plank is pressed down upon the cloth and curd. At 

 the other end of the plank the operator sits and presses 



Fig. 122. 



down with the whole weight of his body, as seen in Fig. 

 122. The whey runs into the tub, and is generally used 



