328 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK n. 



added, as impatience at this stage often causes hours of delay in the 

 making of a cheese. I advise taking about six hours from the time 

 the rennet is added till the curd is ready for salting, which means a 

 six hours process ; if much longer than this, I have found by experience 

 that it is impossible to obtain the best results. The cream should 

 always be removed from the night's milk in the morning and heated to 

 a temperature of about 84 before returning it to the vat. To do 

 this properly and with safety, the cream should be heated by adding 

 about two-thirds of warm milk as it comes from the cow, to one-third 

 of cream, and passed through the ordinary milk strainers. If colouring 

 matter is used, it should be added fifteen to twenty minutes before the 

 rennet, so as to become thoroughly mingled with the milk before 

 coagulation takes place. 



" We use from 4 to 4 oz. of Hansen's rennet extract to each 

 100 gallons of milk, at a temperature of 86 in spring and 84 in 

 summer, or enough to coagulate milk firm enough to cut in about forty 

 minutes when in a proper condition. In cutting, great care should be 

 taken not to bruise the curd. I cut lengthwise, then across with 

 perpendicular knife, then with horizontal knife the same way as the 

 perpendicular, leaving the curd in small cubes about the size of 

 ordinary peas. Stirring with the hands should begin immediately 

 after cutting, and continue for ten to fifteen minutes prior to the 

 application of heat. At this stage we use a rake instead of the hands 

 for stirring the curd during the heated process, which lasts about 

 one hour from time of beginning until the desired temperature of 100 or 

 102 is reached. After heating, the curd should be stirred another 

 twenty minutes, so as to become properly firm before allowing it to 

 settle. We like the curd to lie in the whey fully one hour after 

 allowing it to settle before it is ready for drawing the whey, which is 

 regulated altogether by the condition of the milk at the time the rennet 

 is added. At the first indication of acid, the whey should be removed 

 as quickly as possible. I think at this point lies the greatest secret of 

 cheese- making, to know when to draw the whey. 



" I depend entirely on the hot iron test at this stage, as I consider it 

 the most accurate and reliable guide known to determine when the 

 proper acidity has been developed. To apply this test, take a piece of 

 steel bar about 18 inches long by an inch wide and ^ inch thick, 

 and heat to a black heat ; if the iron is too hot, it will burn the curd, 

 if too cold, it will not stick, consequently it is a very simple matter to 

 determine the proper heat. Take a small quantity of the curd from 

 the vat, and compress it tightly in the hand, so as to expel all the whey ; 

 press the curd against the iron, and when acid enough, it will draw fine 

 silky threads inch long. At this stage the curd should be removed 

 to the curd-cooler as quickly as possible, and stirred till dry enough 

 to allow it to mat, which generally takes from five to eight minutes. 

 The curd is now allowed to stand in one end of the cooler for thirty 

 minutes, when it is cut into pieces from 6 to 8 inches square, and 

 turned, and so on every half-hour until it is fit for milling. After 

 removing the whey, a new acid makes its appearance in the body of the 



