110 TEAXSACTIOXS. 



felt, therefore, tliat tlicy had to do with that which is venerable in- 

 deed, having descended to us from generations far away and buried, 

 and through the lapse of centuries long gone, and they tried to feel 

 something of the reverence that became them in the presence of the 

 survivor of so many buried generations and centuries. 



III. We made inquiry into the chemistry of cheese. In answer 

 to our inquiries, our most worthy friend, " The Progressive Farmer," 

 gave us all needed information, as he has done on most other matters 

 connected with "practical agriculture." We learned from him that 

 about four per cent, of milk is sugar ; that if the milk be kept for 

 some time in a warm place, its coagulable part acts upon the sugar, 

 and changes some portion of it into what is termed lactic acid, and 

 that the soda, which is one of the substances contained in milk, and 

 whose office it is to hold the curd in solution, is acted upon by the 

 acid above mentioned, so that its alkaline power is neutralized, where- 

 upon the curd immediately appears in the form of curdled milk, which, 

 when pressed, forms a kind of cheese. As this process of cheese- 

 making would, however, be slow and inconvenient ; and, withal, 

 would not secure cheese of a good quality, it is common to make use 

 of some other acid than that generated in the milk, in order to neu- 

 tralize the soda, and destroy its power. For this purpose, an animal 

 acid is used, called rennet. This is taken from the stomach of the 

 sucking calf, where its office is the same as that to which the cheese- 

 maker puts it, viz., to curdle the milk taken from the cow. The 

 milk thus curdled is more digestible. For any further information, 

 we refer to our friend, the " Farmer," of Avhom, we trust, all other 

 farmers and farmers' wives will be constant and diligent learners. 



IV. We proceeded to our work, experimentally. While engaged 

 in this part of our examination, we could but rccal the old proverb, 

 so often quoted, " de gustibus non disputandum est," which is, being 

 interpreted, " there is no accounting for the tastes." 



