NORTH DUTCH CHEESE. 347 



Since that time the manufacture has increased, so that 

 from three to four million Netherland pounds are 

 annually brought to the Alkmaar market. But, besides 

 this, a large quantity of cheese does not come into the 

 market, but is sold at the dairy without passing through 

 the hands of the traders, and never comes to the city 

 scales. 



In 1843 there were sold in the North Dutch cheese- 

 markets 22,385,812 pounds, to say nothing of the large 

 quantity sold directly from the dairy. It is easy to 

 see, therefore, how important and extensive an interest 

 the manufacture of cheese has become for this province. 

 Of the twenty-two million pounds annually exported, 

 the value may be estimated as at least three million 

 Dutch guilders. The price and value of the cheese 

 vary, of course, with the markets. 



The North Dutch cheese differs somewhat in quality 

 and money value, according to the section where it is 

 made ; but in general that made in the region about 

 Hoorn is considered the best, as is very natural, since 

 in that vicinity are to be found the finest meadows and 

 pastures in the province. . The villages of Ooster- 

 blokker, Westerwoude, Hoogecarspel, and Twisk, are 

 distinguished above all others ; and so are the pastures 

 of Beemster, Purmer, and Schermer, almost equally so. 



The Dutch cheese-maker reckons twelve Nether- 

 land cans of milk to a pound — two and a quarter 

 pounds American — of cheese, according to which a 

 cow in three hundred days would give from eighteen 

 hundred to two thousand cans of milk, or usually from 

 one hundred and fifty to one hundred and seventy-five 

 Netherland pounds of cheese, in a year. 



The Utensils used in Cheese-making in North Hol- 

 land are nearly the same as those already described for 

 saving the milk for butter, and those used in the 



