CHEESE- MAKING. 



707 



Fig. 908. — Refrigerating Vat, with Cover Lifted. 



milk, haying been carefully- 

 strained into the vat, should 

 be set for 24, 36, or 48 hours, 

 according to circumstances, 

 and all the cream that has 

 risen taken off with care. The 

 skimmed milk is then heated 

 to 75° or 80°, when the but- 

 termilk^ taken from the cream 

 in butter-making may be add- 

 ed; after which the mass may 

 be further heated to 85° or 90°, 

 and then the rennet may be 

 added (Hansen's extract is a 

 good preparation of rennet), 

 in the proportion of one pint to 

 eighty gallons of milk. When 

 the rennet has been thoroughly 

 mixed with the milk, the vat 

 is covered for from 30 to , 50 

 minutes, according to circum- 

 stances, at the end of which 

 time coagulation ought to be 

 complete. As soon as the 

 curd, which is the coagulum 

 thus produced, is well sepa- 

 rated from the whey, the lat- 

 ter is drawn off, leaving the curd perfectly sweet. From this 

 point the object is tb get to press as soon as the curd is sufficiently 

 cool, which is effected by pouring on cold -water till the temperature 

 is reduced to about 10°. The curd is next salted, — 3 lbs. to 100 is a 

 good proportion.-^-the salt being rapidly and evenly, mixed iri ; and 

 then the curd is ready to put into the press. Some thoroughly 



Pig. 909.— Refrigerating Vat Closed. 



Fig. 810— Self-healing Milk-vat. 



