FOREIGN DAIRYING. 117 



It is then carried to the cheese-room, and the rennet is im- 

 mediately added. After the curdling and the separation of 

 the whey are complete the curd is placed in cheese-moulds 

 made of tinned iron, in which it is left to drain for three or 

 four days, and afterwards carried to the cave, which is kept 

 at a uniform temperature of 77 F., where it is constantly 

 watched and attended to hy special workmen. Every cheese 

 is turned daily and frequently sprinkled with fine white 

 salt. After a short time they are removed to other caves, 

 which are much colder and provided with strong currents of 

 air. Here they are stood upon their sides and pricked to 

 the centre with needles in order to place in contact with the 

 air a fine meal composed of rye, wheat, and barleymeal, 

 which, at the moment of placing the curd in the cheese- 

 moulds, was laid within the body of the cheese. This 

 composition, when properly made, gives rise to the forma- 

 tion of a blue mould in the interior of the cheeses ; and if 

 the colour is of a fine blue it is classed as first quality, 

 providing of course it is of equal taste. During the time 

 the cheeses remain in the second cave they are daily rolled 

 and scraped, in order to avoid spontaneous growth of fungi. 

 They are usually ripe at the end of two months and de- 

 spatched for sale in cases holding one dozen each. 



Mont d'Or. These very delicious small cheeses are 

 made of new milk, either by the addition of the morn- 

 ing's to the evening's, or twice a day. The rennet is not 

 added to the milk but the milk to the rennet, this being 

 placed in the vessel in which setting is to take place. 

 When thoroughly firm the curd is broken up and placed in 

 single hoops, similar to those used for Coulommiers, these 

 however being placed upon larger hoops, which are made of 



