SALTING AND PRESSING THE CURD. 719 
Fine salt that has probably been ground, will dissolve 
faster than a coarser salt in the natural crystalline form, the 
erystals being broken in the former case. 
Salt can easily be tested as to quality, by dissolving it in 
pure water in a glass cylinder. Use more salt than will dissolve. 
The best salt is that which leaves a clear brine with no scum or 
dirt on the top, or bottom of the solutions. Cheese is an article 
of food and we do not want any dirt in it, so we should avoid 
dirty salt. If a few drops of a solution of ammonium oxalate is 
poured into the salt solution, any lime that may be in the salt 
will be thrown down in the form of a white precipitate of cal- 
cium oxalate. By this means we can form an idea of the 
amount of lime in the salt. It is doubtful if a little lime (cal- 
cium oxide) is harmful in the salt, but if the calcium is in the 
form of chloride, it will attract moisture and make the salt 
lump. Lumpy salt will not be evenly distributed in the cheese. 
AVERAGE COMPOSITION OF AMERICAN DAIRY SALT, IN PER CENT.* 
| 
: a 2 Se es an ee 3 
NAME OF BRAND. s2| BE 22 | f= | 2 gs 8 
£| se aa | 32 be 3s 2 
£4| a | 62) 58) 36 | Bs | = 
AT CHO 0 aot oe ee 3 97.79 | 1.48 28 .08 .06 31 
ASHtOM= a5 ea 3 | 98.01 | 1.42 20 |. .16 .03 18 
Canfield & Wheeler___-_-_~_ 4} 98.18 | 1.21 22 12 04 .23 
Diamond Crystal_-_____-- 5 | 98.18 54 19 .05 .03 OL 
Genesee___--__----------! 8 | 98.27 | 1.11 24 .07 04 16 
Waensdseesecs uae ees se! 3 | 97.87 | 1.50 Al .07 05 .20 
eROyiss 22 see eed 2] 98.15 | 1.31 389 -08 01 .06 
Vacuum Pan____-__-_~~-- 6 | 98.00 | 1.15 36 15 03 31 
[ei o 98.43 -96 40 .06 .03 12 
‘Worcester..22+-s2-se nce} 5 | 98.57 92 25 .07 .02 at 
167. What Salt Does to Cheese. 
In the first place, salt gives taste to a cheese. A cheese 
without salt has an insipid taste. Salt also takes out the 
moisture, so that fermentation is checked. A cheese without salt 
will cure very fast, in fact fermentation goes on so rapidly that 
gas holes are formed. 
*See Woll, Bull. 74, Wisconsin Experiment Station. 
