Composition of Cheese. 13 



smell which are its characteristics, and in which, more than any 

 other English cheese, it resembles the foreign Rochefort. 



CHESHIRE AND CHEDDAR CHEESED 



In making best Cheshire and good Cheddar cheese the whole- 

 milk is used, and cheese generally made but once a day. 



The following Table shows the composition of two kinds of 

 Cheshire and a number of Cheddar cheeses : 



The first analysis illustrates the composition of good ripe, and 

 the second that of good new, Cheshire cheese. 



Since a good deal of water evaporates in keeping, the pro- 

 portion of dry casein, of mineral matters, and especially of 

 butter (pure fat), must become larger with age. 



The rich appearance of old cheese, however, is by no means 

 attributable entirely to a very large proportion of butter ; nor is 

 the poor condition of new or badly-made cheese referable solely 

 to a deficiency of butter. One of the chief tests of the skill of 

 the dairymaid is the production of a rich tasting and looking, 

 fine-flavoured, mellow cheese from milk not particularly rich in 

 cream. That this can be done is abundantly proved by the 

 practice of good makers. One of the finest Cheddars which 

 I have ever examined is that mentioned as No. 4 in the above 

 table. This was made by Mr. Harding, Marksbury, Somerset- 

 shire, and analysed by me when about six months old. Like all 

 good cheeses, it of course contains a large 'amount of butter ; 

 though, as I found by experiment, not nearly so large an amount 

 as its appearance, rich taste, and fine mature condition seemed 

 to imply. Though only six months old, it had a much more 



