96 



THE STORY OF MILK 



the curd is packed together in the bottom of the vat or 

 on a ''sink" provided with a false bottom covered with 

 cheese-cloth. After fermenting for 10 or 15 minutes it 

 is cut into large pieces which are again packed together 



"Cheddaring" or "Matting" the curd 



for further matting. The exact condition to be attained 

 can be determined only by experience. 



A simple test, the ''Hot Iron Test/' may, however, 

 help the cheesemaker to judge of this point. A hand- 

 ful of curd squeezed together and touched to a hot 

 steam pipe or an iron rod heated almost red-hot in 

 the fire under the boiler, and slowly withdrawn, will 

 leave threads sticking to the iron. Depending upon the 



