SALTING AND PRESSING THE CURD. 81 
169. Curds Not Always Salted the Same. 
Curds should not always be salted at the same rate from 
day to day. A moist curd needs more salt than a dry one, for 
two reasons: Jirst, the excess of moisture must be expelled by 
the addition of salt; and second, as the expulsion of moisture 
takes salt with it in solution, enough must be applied to leave 
the proper amount in the cheese. 
170. Salt Should Be Evenly Distributed. 
It is also essential, that the salt should be evenly distributed 
through the cheese. If there is too much salt in the last curd 
put into the hoop, the rind of the cheese will crack. 
171. Adding Salt. 
The curd should be spread out evenly in the curd sink, and 
a part of the salt scattered evenly over it. The curd should then 
be stirred thoroughly, and again spread out, and the remainder 
of the salt applied. It ought to be stirred every ten minutes, to 
keep the salt from settling to the bottom of the pile in the brine. 
172. Temperature of Salting. 
Before salting, the curd should be cooled to 90° F., for if 
too warm, the fat may be expelled in large quantities with the 
brine. The curd should not be put to press till the salt has 
been thoroughly dissolved and worked into it. 
173. Condition of Salted Curd for Pressing. 
Before pressing the curd will have harsh feeling, due to the 
undissolved salt crystals, the outside of the pieces of curd are 
hardened, so that they will not press together readily; but as the 
salt works into the curd, it will regain its velvety feeling. When 
this condition has been reached, which is usually in fifteen to 
twenty minutes, it is ready for the press. 
174. Removing Fat. 
As indicated in paragraph 172 the fat may run over the 
surface of the curd and prevent the cementing of the particles. 
This is especially true of a curd from tainted milk. By throw- 
ing two or three pails of warm water (110°) over the curd this 
fat will be washed off, and then a pail of cold water will harden 
the curd so that the fat will not run. A little fat is lost, how- 
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