10 Composition of Cheese. 



be spoiled by a slovenly and ignorant dairymaid. But inasmuch 

 as the nature of the herbage, as is well known, affects the richness, 

 and especially the flavour, of the milk, and the herbage is sweeter 

 in one locality than in another, and at one time of the year than at 

 another, it is not likely that the very finest-flavoured cheese should 

 be made indiscriminately on all land and all the year round. 

 Still, after every allowance has been made for these natural 

 peculiarities, it is nevertheless true that the various processes 

 which are adopted in different counties determine in a great 

 measure the prevailing character of the produce, whilst the want 

 or bestowal of care and attention in making cheese, whether it 

 be on the Cheshire, Cheddar, or any other plan, materially influ- 

 ences the quality of the produce. 



Before I proceed to point out some of the practical errors 

 which are often made in the manufacture of cheese, let us exa- 

 mine the composition and chief peculiarities of some of the 

 principal kinds made in England. 



English cheese is produced either from milk to which an extra 

 quantity of cream has been added, or secondly from the whole- 

 milk, or thirdly from milk from which more or less cream has 

 been taken before the addition of the rennet. Accordingly we 

 obtain 



1. Cream-cheeses. 



2. Whole-milk cheeses. 



3. Skim -mi Ik cheeses. 



The first class is made in limited quantities only, and constitutes 

 a luxury which is found chiefly in the houses of the wealthy. 



The second class is produced in larger quantities ; and the 

 third furnishes our chief supply of this important article of food 

 for the working-classes of this country. 



To the first class belong Stilton, Cream-Cheddar, and the 

 choicest quality of Cotherstone cheese, or Yorkshire Stilton. 

 These, according to their quality, fetch more or less a fancy 

 price in the market, as they are made in perfection only by few 

 persons, and in limited quantity. 



To the second class belong the best Cheshire, some Cheddar, 

 good Double Gloucester, most of the cheese made in the Vale of 

 Berkeley, as well as whole-milk cheese produced in Wiltshire 

 and other counties of England. 



In the third class we meet with ordinary Cheshire, Gloucester, 

 Wiltshire, Warwickshire, Shropshire, Leicestershire, and other 

 cheeses made in districts where its manufacture is combined 

 with that of butter. 



