Grinding. 181 
in the physical condition of the curd. From the 
condition of a tough, spongy mass when first ched- 
dared, the curd changes into a smooth, elastic, 
fibrous condition, not unlike the physical appearance 
of well cooked, lean meat. When the curd reaches 
the condition above described it is ready for the 
next step in the process, and by this time sufficient 
lactic acid will have developed so that fine threads 
may be drawn out two to three inches on a hot 
iron. 
Period V., grinding.—When the curd is ready for 
grinding, the whey has been removed to so great 
an extent that the pro- 
duction of lactic acid 
measurably stops. The 
eurd is ground in or- 
der to reduce it to 
particles of convenient 
size for receiving the 
salt and for pressing 
into a solid mass in 
,. the cheese. The grind- 
Jing, or more properly 
the cutting, is done in 
special machines known 
as curd mills. Of the 
various styles of mills, those are best which cut 
the curd into pieces of uniform size, without tearing 
it apart, for the reason that when so treated less fat 
escapes and the uniformity of size of the pieces aids 
in the proper and even absorption of the salt by the 
Digitized by Microsoft® 
Fig. 25. ‘‘Harris’’ curd mill. 
