Composition of Cheese. 41 



air. This is an objectionable practice, which no doubt has its 

 origin in the desire to maintain in the store-rooms a somewhat 

 elevated temperature, and to avoid draughts of cold air. 



It is quite true that draughts are injurious to newly-made 

 cheese, and a somewhat elevated temperature decidedly favours 

 its ripening and the development of a fine flavour ; but the one 

 may be avoided, and the other can be maintained quite well, at 

 the same time that due provision is made for the admission and 

 circulation of fresh air. 



During the first stage of ripening, a good deal of water and 

 other emanations escape from the cheeses, which, if not allowed 

 freely to pass away, make the air damp and injure the flavour of 

 the cheeses. Why cheese should be kept in dark rooms is to me 

 a mystery. 



2. Cheese newly made is spoiled by not turning it frequently 

 enough. 



Thick cheeses especially require to be frequently turned, in 

 ordr that the water which is given off from the interior warmer 

 parts of the cheese may freely escape, and all sides be exposed 

 at short intervals to the air. If this is neglected, that part which 

 is in close contact with the board on which it rests becomes 

 smeary and rots, and by degrees the whole cheese is spoiled. 

 The boards, we need hardly say, should be wiped with a dry cloth 

 from time to time as well as the cheese. 



3. Cheese does not ripen properly, and therefore remains deficient 

 in flavour, if the temperature of the cheese-room is too low. 



The ripening of cheese is essentially a process of fermentation, 

 which may be accelerated or depressed by a proper or by too 

 low a temperature. Any temperature under 60 is unfavourable, 

 and should therefore be avoided. 



4. Cheese is also spoiled if the temperature of the cheese-room is 

 too high. 



If the temperature of the room rises above 75 F. the fermen- 

 tation becomes so active that a cheese is apt to bulge out at the 

 sides, and to lose the uniform and close texture which charac- 

 terises it when good. 



5. Lastly, cheese is sometimes spoiled if the temperature of the 

 cheese-room varies too much at different times. 



A steady fermentation, which is essential to the proper 

 ripening of the cheese, can only be maintained in a room which 

 is not subject to great fluctuations in temperature. The more 

 uniformly, therefore, the cheese-room is heated, the more readily 

 cheese can be brought into the market, and the finer the quality 

 will be. For this reason hot-water pipes, which give a very steady, 

 gentle, and lasting heat, are greatly to be preferred to stoves in 



