THE STORE-ROOM. 265 



When taken from the press, generally after two or 

 three days from the time they were first placed under it, 

 they are exposed for a week or so to the warmth and 

 heat of the farmer's kitchen, not to excite sweating, 

 but merely to dry them a little before they are placed 

 in the store, where a small proportion of heat is 

 admitted. While they remain in the kitchen they are 

 turned over three or four times every day ; and, when- 

 ever they begin to harden a little on the outside, they 

 are laid up on the shelves of the store, where they are 

 turned over once a day or once in two days for a 

 week or so, until they are dry, and twice every week 

 afterwards. 



The store-houses for cheese in Scotland are in pro- 

 portion to the size of the dairy, generally a small 

 place adjoining the milk-house, or in the end of the 

 barn or other buildings, where racks are placed, with 

 as many shelves as can hold the cheeses made in the 

 season. When no particular place is prepared, the 

 racks are placed in the barn, which is generally empty 

 during summer ; or some lay the cheeses on the floor 

 of a garret over some part of their dwelling-house. 



Wherever the cheeses are stored, they are not 

 sweated or put into a warm place, but kept cool, in a 

 place in a medium state, between damp and dry, with- 

 out the sun being allowed to shine on them, or yet a 

 great current of air admitted. Too much air, or the 

 rays of the sun, would dry the cheeses too fast, diminish 

 their weight, and make them crack ; and heat would 

 make them sweat or perspire, which extracts the fat, 

 and tends to induce hooving. But when they are kept 

 in a temperature nearly similar to that of a barn, the 

 doors of which are not much open, and but a moderate 

 current of air admitted, the cheeses are kept in a 

 proper shape, neither so dry as to rend the skin, nor so 

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