VARIETIES OF CHEESE : DESCRIPTIONS AND ANALYSES. 6 



in an extended search through the literature relating in any way to 

 the subject. Owing to the large number of publications consulted, 

 it has seemed impracticable to give references to the descriptive 

 matter. 



As will be noted, names and descriptions have been arranged alpha- 

 betically, and no attempt has been made to classify the varieties. All 

 such attempts made by others have been unsatisfactory and are open 

 to serious criticism. There are probably about 18 distinct varieties 

 of cheese. All the rest, consisting of more than 400 names given, 

 are of local origin, usually named after towns or communities. A 

 list of the best known names applied to each of these distinct varieties 

 or groups is given : Brick, Caciocavallo, Camembert, Cheddar, Cot- 

 tage, Dry, Edam, Emmental, Gouda, Hand, Holstein, Limburg, 

 Neufchatel, Parmesan, Roquefort, Sapsago, Scanno, and Trappist. 



As stated, many of the names in the body of the bulletin are 

 duplicates. It is the practice in most European countries to give 

 local names to cheese ; it is said that in France more than 250 names 

 are applied to cheese, while in fact probably not more than a dozen 

 distinct kinds of cheese are made there. This naturally leads to 

 much confusion, and especially is it true, as often happens, when a 

 local name is given to more than one variety. It would certainly 

 appear to be more rational to retain or employ variety names and 

 give the names of the localities where manufactured. It is possible 

 for a local name to mean much, but when it is used alone to apply 

 to a number of varieties of the same product it means nothing. 



In most instances in this bulletin the analyses have been compiled 

 from the original publications. In all cases, however, the sources of 

 the data have been given in the list of references which follows the 

 table of analyses. No effort has been made to collect the numerous 

 analyses of filled cheese, and in the case of American Cheddar cheese 

 only a part of the available data has been included in the compilation. 



DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES OF CHEESE. 



ABERTAM. 



This is a hard, rennet cheese made from sheep's milk in the region of Carlsbad, 

 Bohemia. 



ALEMTEJO. 



This name is applied to rather soft cheeses made in the Province of Alemtejo, 

 Portugal. They are cylindrical in shape and are made in three sizes, averaging 

 about 2 ounces, 1 pound, and 4 pounds, respectively. They are made for the 

 most part from the milk of sheep, though goats' milk is often added, especially 

 for the smaller sizes. The milk is warmed and curdled usually with an extract 

 prepared from the flowers of a kind of thistle. The cheeses are ripened for 

 several weeks. 



