268 COMPOSITION OF CHEESE. 



coarse strainer, and allowed to drain quite dry. It is 

 then broken up fine, and one teacup of ground solar salt 

 added to curd to make twenty pounds of cheese, and well 

 worked in. After the curd is quite cool, it is placed 

 in the hoop, and a light pressure is applied. In a few 

 minutes more power is needed. After remaining in press 

 about six hours, it is taken out of the hoop, wholly 

 covered with strong muslin, finely sewed on, and then 

 reversed and replaced in the hoop and press. It is 

 allowed to remain until the next day, when it has to 

 give place for another. 



" After pressing thus twenty-four hours, the cheese is 

 placed upon the shelf, and allowed to stand until the 

 cloth is dry. Then a preparation, made from annatto 

 and butter-oil, is applied sufficiently to fill all the 

 interstices of the cloth. It must be turned and thor- 

 oughly rubbed three times a week, until ripe for use. 



" I use the self-acting press. I know of none in use 

 that is better, the weight of the cheese being the 

 power.'' 



The statements of skilful and practical dairymen, in 

 different parts of the country, are sufficient to show 

 that good cheese can be produced ; but it is believed 

 that a more general attention to all the details of the 

 dairy would add many thousand dollars a year to the 

 wealth of the people, and enable us to compete suc- 

 cessfully with the best dairy countries in the world. 



The composition of cheese will, of course, differ 

 widely in nutritive value, according to the mode of 

 manufacture, age, etc. A specimen of good cheese was 

 found to contain about 31.02 per cent, of flesh-forming 

 substances, 25.30 per cent, of heat-producing sub- 

 stances, 4.90 per cent, of mineral matter, and 38.78 per 

 cent, of water. 



The analyses of several varieties will serve as a com- 



