14 Composition of Cheese. 



mature appearance than the Cheddar cheese No. 1, which was 

 at least eleven months old when analysed ; and, thanks to Mr. 

 Harding's skill and experience, had a much fatter and more 

 mellow appearance and richer taste than a specimen which 

 actually contained 2J per cent, more butter. 



Thus we see that the proportion of butter does not entirely 

 determine the value of cheese, since a high-priced Cheddar or 

 Cheshire cheese does not necessarily contain more butter than 

 another which fetches 8s. to 10s. less per cwt. in the market. 



In the opinion of good judges the Cheddar cheese No. 1, not- 

 withstanding the larger amount of butter, and the smaller amount 

 of water, which it contained, was worth less than No. 4 by Id. 

 per Ib. no inconsiderable difference in the returns of a dairy 

 to remunerate careful and skilful management. The peculiar 

 mellow appearance of good cheese, though due to some extent 

 to the butter which it contains, depends in a higher degree upon 

 a gradual transformation which the casein or the curd undergoes 

 in ripening. The curd is hard and insoluble in water, but by 

 degrees it becomes softer and more soluble, or, speaking more 

 correctly, gives rise to products of decomposition which are 

 soluble in water. 



Now if this ripening process is badly conducted, or the ori- 

 ginal character of the curd is such that it adapts itself but slowly 

 to this transformation, the cheese when sold will be, compara- 

 tively speaking, tough, and appear less rich in butter than it 

 really is ; whilst in a well-made and properly-kept cheese, this 

 series of changes will be rapidly and thoroughly effected. 

 Proper ripening thus imparts to cheese a rich appearance, and 

 unites with the butter in giving it that most desirable property 

 of melting in the mouth. On examining some cheeses defi- 

 cient in this melting property, and accordingly pronounced 

 by practical judges defective in butter, I nevertheless found in 

 them a very high percentage of that substance clear proof that 

 the mellow and rich taste of cheese is not entirely, nor indeed 

 chiefly, due to the fatty matters which it contains. 



Good Cheshire and Cheddar, on an average, contain about 

 the same quantity of butter ; but of course inferior cheeses de- 

 fective in this respect are to be found in both localities. The 

 analysis No. 6 shows the composition of such an inferior Cheddar. 



DOUBLE AND SINGLE GLOUCESTER CHEESE. 



Gloucester, especially double Gloucester, is generally sold as 

 a whole-milk cheese. It is, however, seldom made of the whole- 

 milk. In most dairies more or less of the cream of the milk is 

 made into butter; but unless the whole evening's milk is 



