Grinding. 



189 



in the physical condition of the curd. From the 

 condition of a tough, spongy mass when first ched- 

 dared, the curd changes into a smooth, elastic, 

 fibrous condition, not unlike the physical appearance 

 of well cooked, lean meat. When the curd reaches 

 the condition above described it is ready for the 

 next step in the process, and by this time sufficient 

 lactic acid will have developed so that fine threads 

 may be drawn out two to three inches on a hot 

 iron. 



Period V., grinding .—When the curd is ready for 

 grinding, the whey has been removed to so great 



an extent that the pro- 

 duction of lactic acid 

 measurably stops. The 

 curd is ground in or- 

 der to reduce it to 

 particles of convenient 

 size for receiving the 

 salt and for pressing 

 into a solid mass in 

 the cheese. The grind- 

 ing, or more properly 

 the cutting, is done in 

 special machines known 

 as curd mills. Of the 

 various styles of mills, those are best which cut 

 the curd into pieces of uniform size, without tearing 

 it apart, for the reason that when so treated less fat 

 escapes and the uniformity of size of the pieces aids 

 in the proper and even absorption of the salt by the 



Fig. 25. "Harris" curd mill. 



