192 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



should be adopted at the factories. It is very difficult to regu- 

 late the final conditions of the curd, under all circumstances in 

 the whey. The acid is often pushed forward upon the curd too 

 rapidly, especially in hot and sultry weather. Then if there be 

 taints in the milk, the longer the curd is steeped in the whey, 

 the more distinct and marked will they be in the cheese ; but if 

 you get rid of it early, there is more hope of preserving clear 

 flavor, since every moment the whey stands under the influence 

 of heat and decomposition, the stronger becomes its odor and 

 taint as every practical cheese-maker has observed. It is to be 

 doubted whether an uniform fine flavor can be maintained 

 under all the variable conditions of milk, unless this principle 

 is recognized. At any rate under this process, there is less dif- 

 ficulty in obtaining desirable results. 



There is another suggestion in regard to rennet and annotto 

 which is not understood, even by our oldest and best cheese- 

 makers. At many of the factories great complaints are made 

 that the rennets are weak, and extraordinary large quantities 

 are used at heavy expense. It is true there is great difference 

 in the strength of rennets, and the quantities of milk they will 

 coagulate, but the trouble is often aggravated by not properly 

 understanding the strength of the materials employed. The 

 annotto commonly used is cut by potash, a powerful alkali. 

 Rennet is an acid, or at least its action is similar, and is directly 

 opposite to that of an alkali. The one neutralizes the other. 

 Now, if annotto is cut with very strong lye, or a strong solution 

 of potash when it is added to the milk, it neutrahzes or destroys 

 the effect of a large quantity of rennet. Hence the annotto 

 should always be cut with as weak a solution of potash or lye 

 as is possible to dissolve it. 



UTILIZING WHEY. 



The utilizing of whey from factories has received considera- 

 ble attention, and various suggestions have been made as to its 

 value and most profitable employment. Its analysis shows that 

 it is too valuable to be thrown away. Some contend that it can 

 be turned to the most profit when fed to cows, while others 

 stoutly affirm that more can be realized from it as food for hogs. 



While in England I was told by the dairy farmers, (and it 

 was confirmed by the provision dealers in London,) that a very 



