120 SKETCHES OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 



lity. The acid commonly used in this country is called 

 rennet, which is a preparation of the gastric juice from 

 the stomach of a sucking calf. 



The experience of the dairyman teaches him exactly 

 the quantity of this acid required to turn a certain 

 quantity of milk. But if he is doubtful as to the 

 strength of his rennet, he tries it on a ladlef ul of warm 

 milk, and by the quickness or slowness of the curdling, 

 and the form of the flakes of curd, he knows whether it 

 is strong or weak, and uses it accordingly. 



The method of preparing rennet is very simple. 

 Where calves' stomachs cannot be obtained, those of 

 pigs are sometimes made use of, and are found to answer 

 the purpose equally well. When the pigs are killed in 

 winter, the inside skins of the stomachs are taken out 

 and wiped clean with a cloth, but not washed. They 

 are then laid flat on a table, rubbed thickly with salt on 

 both sides, and placed on a dish for about four days, at 

 the end of which time they have sufficientfy imbibed 

 the salt to be dried and stored for use. In drying, they 

 are stretched out and hung near the fire, after which 

 they will keep until the next season. When rennet is 

 wanted, one of these skins is placed in a jar, with about 

 three pints of strong brine, made of salt and boiling 

 water. It remains in this brine three or four days, the 

 mouth of the jar being covered with bladder. The 

 strength of the liquor is then tested, and if it curdles 

 milk easily, the skin is taken out, and the rennet 

 bottled, and tightly corked. The skin is again salted 

 and dried, and will answer the same purpose on another 

 occasion. 



The cheese-making season begins in May, and lasts 

 until the end of September, or even longer, if the 

 weather is favourable. In some places, cheese is made 

 all the year round ; but that produced in the winter 

 months is inferior, and takes longer in becoming fit for 

 use, than cheese made in spring or summer. Thick 

 cheeses are mostly made in May, June, and the begin- 



