338 SALTING IN THE TROUGH. 



three hours' pressing, and the cheese is left standing in 

 the press over night. The next morning the cheese is 

 brought under another press, under which it is subjected 

 to still more powerful pressure, and receives its peculiar 

 form. This press is seen in Fig. 126, and consists of a 

 frame resting on four strong uprights, forming a kind 

 of firm table. On the plate of the table lie four or six 

 rollers, whose ends at both sides pass through holes 

 in the standard pieces, and serve merely to assist in 

 taking out the cheese. The pressure is obtained by 

 heavy weights let down and raised by a kind of wind- 

 lass fixed in two perpendic- 

 ular standards. The cheese 

 rF as it comes under this press 

 is not in the mould, but is 

 simply laid in a pan, as seen 



in Fig. 127. Before the pressure begins, however, the 

 stamp or mark of the manufacturer, a key, a letter, 

 etc., in iron, is laid upon the cheese, and upon that a 

 square board. The pan and weight are lowered, so 

 that the pressure begins and fhe stamp is impressed on 

 the cheese, which becomes flatter, smoother, and firmer, 

 than before. The cheese is left under this press till it 

 gets its final form, and the pressure in the pan is 

 increased or diminished, according to circumstances. 



When the cheese, after being pressed in both ma- 

 chines, has received its final form, it is placed in a long 

 trough, called the salt-trough, which is generally in the 

 cow-room behind the cow-stands. It has been already 

 said that the cow-stall is used as a cheese-room in sum- 

 mer, when the cows are out to pasture. In this trough, 

 a space deep and wide enough for the diameter of the 

 cheese, from four to six cheeses can be laid. In the 

 salt-trough the cheeses are salted as long and as thor- 

 oughly as is necessary. Observation and experience are 



