PRACTICAL DETAILS. 245 



if, on the contrary, they have recently been m warm 

 water, the milk will feel colder than it really is. To 

 satisfy the reader how much this circumstance alone 

 will affect the sensation of the hand, let him immerse 

 one hand in warm water, and at the same time keep the 

 other in a vessel of cold water, for a few moments; 

 then pour the water in the two dishes together, and 

 immerse both hands in the mixture. The hand that was 

 previously in the warm water will feel cold, and the 

 other quite warm, showing that the sense of feeling is 

 not a test of temperature worthy of being relied upon. 

 A fine cloth spread over the tub while the milk is curd- 

 ling will prevent the surface from being cooled by cir- 

 culation of air. No jarring of the milk, by walking 

 upon a springy floor, or otherwise, should be allowed 

 while it is curdling, as it will prevent a perfect cohesion 

 of the particles. 



" When milk is curdled so as to appear like a solid, it 

 is divided into small particles to aid the separation of 

 the whey from the curd. This is often too speedily done 

 to facilitate the work, but at a sacrifice of quality and 

 quantity." 



To effect the fine division of the curd 'for the easy 

 separation of the whey, Mr. Fish uses a wire network, 

 made to fit into the tub, the meshes of fine wire being 

 about a half-inch square, and the outer rim of coarse 

 and stronger material. A cheese-knife is also used, 

 about half as long as the .diameter of the tub, and firmly 

 fastened to the lower end of a long screw which passes 

 through one end of the blade as it lies horizontally, 

 leaving the blade at right angles with the screw, which 

 has a coarse thread, and passes through a piece of 

 wood on the top of the tub, held firm by notches at the 

 ends laid on the edges of the tub. By turning a crank, 

 the knife passes down through the curd in revolutions, 



