118 |THE DAIRY OF THE FARM. 



wood, and on the top of these a couple of straw mats are- 

 laid to encourage draining and prevent curd passing 

 through. The diameter of the metal hoop is from 12 to 

 13 centimetres and that of the wooden a shade more, the 

 height of each being about 8 centimetres. When the 

 moulds are filled, they are placed upon a fluted inclined 

 shelf in order to drain, each cheese being turned at the end 

 of two hours, when clean mats replace the wet ones. Next 

 day the same process takes place, when they are carried to 

 the sechoir for further drying ; shelves covered with rye 

 straw being provided for the purpose, and the cheeses being 

 here taken out of the mould. Turning takes place four 

 times a day, but there is no salting other than that which 

 results from a continual damping of each surface with 

 brine. When sufficiently dry, at the end of two or three 

 days the cheeses are removed to the ripening room, where 

 they remain for a week during warm, and a fortnight in 

 cold, weather. 



Roquefort It is only necessary to refer to the Koque- 

 fort cheese to state that it is made of sheep's milk, that the 

 system of manufacture is somewhat intricate, and that, as 

 it is not likely to be attempted in this country, we do not 

 deem it necessary to give a detailed description. 



Neufchatel. This little cheese, which takes its name 

 from the little town in the Brie district, in the department 

 of Seine Inferieure, is largely imitated by milk dealers in 

 London, who find the system a ready way for disposing of 

 "their surplus and sometimes spoiled milk. It is sold in 

 both its ripe and white forms, as well as from poor and rich 

 milk respectively : those made from skimmed milk being 



