100 CHEESE AND CHEESE-MAKING 



insertion of skewers, and their occasional re- 

 moval. After the cheese has been in the oven 

 for four hours it is turned, put into a dry coarse 

 cloth, placed back again into the oven, and there 

 it remains until morning. 



PRESSING. Next morning the cheese is re- 

 moved from the oven and put into a fresh cloth. 

 It is then placed in a press, but no pressure is 

 applied, or only a very little. On the next three 

 or four mornings the cheese-cloth is changed, 

 and the pressure is gradually increased. By 

 about the fourth morning whey will have ceased 

 to exude, and when such is the case the cheese 

 should be removed from the press and taken 

 into the curing- room. 



CURING. Before taking the pressed cheese 

 to the curing-room a bandage is pasted on to it, 

 the paste used consisting of flour, boiling water, 

 and borax. Over this bandage, an ordinary 

 cheese-bandage is placed, and the corners of 

 the cheese are often ironed with a hot iron to 

 render them smooth. When the cheese is band- 

 aged take it to the curing-room, which should 

 have a temperature of 60 to 65 F. The shelves 

 of this room are frequently covered with straw, 



