cows -MILK ROQUEFORT CHEESE. 9 



FILLING THE FORMS AND ADDING THE MOLD CULTURE. 



At the time the curd is put into the forms it is a white, pulpy mass, 

 from which but little whey exudes as the forms are filled. Alternate 

 layers of curd and of mold powder are put into the forms. The mold 

 powder, which will presently be discussed, is sprinkled liberally over 

 the layers of curd by means of a pepperbox. Usually three or four 

 layers of powder should be used in each cheese. The curd is broken 

 up by hand into small pieces, and it is then placed in the forms and 

 gently pressed. The curd is piled above the top of the form. This 

 gradually settles down so that by the time the cheese is ready to salt 

 it is about 4-^ inches high. There appears to be no distinct advan- 

 tage in using a large quantity of mold powder. Experiments have 

 shown that 0.2 of a gram of mold per cheese gives almost as good 



Fig. 1.— Filling the forms with curd and inoculating vrith the mold. 



results as 2 grams of the mold. However, four or five liberal sprink- 

 lings of the mold arc desirable. 



Wooden supports, about 2 by 4 inches arc placed across the vat 

 about 30 inclies apart. A ])oard, covered with a mat, and three forms 

 are placed upon these supports. As the forms are filled, the boards 

 supporting them are transferred to a hand truck which is used to 

 carry the cheese to the drain room. 



PREPARATION OF MOLD POWDER FOR INOCULATION. 



Mold powder for inoculating purposes is gi'own in ordinary white 

 bread. Stock cultures of Roquefort mold should be obtained from 

 a reliable laboL^itory several weeks before the manufacture of the 

 cheese is contemplated. The mold powder is prepared as follows: 

 Either fresh bread, direct from the oven, or older bread, is sterilized 



49195°— 21— Bull. 970 2 



