384 THE dairyman's manual. 



as to make a cheese of about seven pounds in weight green, 

 and five to six pounds when cured. The whey drains off 

 through tliese holes and from the bottom of the mold. 

 About one-third of the depth of the molds is filled in 

 with the curd and this is pressed down. The surface is 

 then lightly sprinkled with a i^reparation of blue mold 

 made in this way: A bread is made of equal parts of flour 

 of wheat and barley, leavened strongly with one jDart of 

 yeast for twenty-three parts of the bread, and one quart 

 of vinegar. The bread is then raised and baked crisply. 

 It is ke^Dt in a warm place until it is covered with green 

 mold [Penicillium glaucum) which is suffered to spread all 

 through the bread, the soft part of which is then dried 

 and crushed to a fine powder. The incorporation of this 

 powder sows the seed (the spores) of the mold, and this 

 spreads during the curing all through the mass of the 

 cheese in numerous veins. When this mold assumes a 

 blue color it is taken as an indication that the cheese is 

 of superior quality. The mold is thus filled with curd in 

 three layers, with the fungus spores sown between them, 

 the last layer projecting considerably above the level of 

 the mold, so that when the pressure is applied the mold 

 may be exactly filled to an even level. 



A second mold is filled in the same manner and placed 

 upon the surface of the first one ; a leaden plate is then 

 laid upon the second mold to furnish the pressure, which j 

 gradually forces out the whey and fills the molds even 

 with the curd. The filled molds are then placed on 

 benches having channels cut in them to drain off the 

 wliey, and the cheeses remain until no more whey escapes 

 from them, which is during three or four da3's, being 

 turned twice daily. The air of this apartment is kept 

 moist by means of pans of hot water frequently renewed. 

 When ready for the change the cheeses are taken out of 

 the molds and moved to the drying house. This house 

 is dry and airy, and the windows are covered with wire or 



