40 Composition of Cheese. 



give the result of extended experiments in cheese-making. In the first place 

 I shall take it for granted that the whole process up to salting is well under- 

 stood, for it is of salting that I wish to speak in this article. 



"In June, 1859, I finished a few cheeses after the following manner: 

 When my curd was scalded (I practise thorough scalding), I threw into the 

 vat about 4 quarts of salt sometimes only 3 for a cheese of 50 to 60 Ibs., 

 stirring thoroughly. Those which went into the hoop before being well 

 cooled off, acted badly ; but when I took time and means to cool sufficiently, 

 the cheeses were very fine. On the whole, I did not like the process, and 

 abandoned it. 



" In 1860 I commenced again, changing the programme as follows : After 

 scalding I drew off the whey, leaving just enough to float the curd, and began 

 to cool off, hurrying the process by pumping in cold water and changing often. 

 Then, to a curd of say 60 Ibs., a little more or less, I threw in sometimes 

 3 and sometimes 4 quarts of salt, and stirred till well cooled then drew off 

 the salted whey, and threw it on the compost heap put the curd to press, 

 and pressed rapidly and thoroughly. And now for the result. I lost from 

 my whey tub about three pails of whey and some salt. I gained in this, that 

 my dripping tub under the press never had a particle of cream rise upon it, 

 and in having a cheese that gave me no trouble in curing, and that when sent 

 to market sold for the very highest price, and called forth the unqualified 

 approbation of dealers as being perfect in all respects fine flavoured, very 

 solid (not porous), and very fat. 



" And now let me talk to the experience of dairymen. In the old-fashioned 

 way of breaking up and salting a curd, more or less bruising of the curd to 

 break the lumps, in order 19 get the salt evenly distributed, is necessary ; and 

 when put to press the white whey runs off freely, or in other words the cream 

 runs off, and of course with it the richness of the cheese, and more or less of 

 its weight ; and if the curd is very dry you are liable to get your cheese too 

 high salted, and if not,. the reverse. 



** My experiments clearly prove that a curd salted in whey will retain no 

 more salt than it needs, and that as every particle comes in contact with the 

 brine through the operation of stirring, no bruising is necessary. "Whether 

 this is the philosophy of it or not, I am not chemist enough to determine, but 

 1 do know that if there is no discharge of white whey, or cream, it is retained 

 in the cheese, adding to it both richness and weight as a remuneration for the 

 extra salt and the wasted whey." 



III. PRACTICAL ERRORS MADE IN KEEPIXG CHEESE. 



The following are some of the practical mistakes that are 

 occasionally made after the cheese has left the presses and is 

 placed in the store-rooms. 



1. Cheese is deteriorated in quality when it is placed in damp or 

 in badly -ventilated rooms. 



When beef or mutton is kept for a day or two in a damp and 

 badly-ventilated place, the meat soon acquires a disagreeable 

 cellar-like taste. The same is the case with cheese. Kept in a 

 damp place, it also becomes mouldy, and generates abundance 

 of mites. 



In some parts of Cheshire it is a common practice to keep 

 cheese in dark rooms, carefully shutting out the free access of 



