Swiss CHEESE— WORK IN THE CELLAR. 159 
the eyes may still develop slowly, but they should not bloat the 
cheese. If a maker attempts to cure cheese in one cellar, he 
will be likely either not to get the eyes started, or if they do 
start they may develop too far. 
303. Handling Block Swiss in Cellar. 
Block Swiss being smaller than the drum cheese are more 
easily handled. They should be washed often enough to keep 
them clean from mold. Care should be taken, however, not to 
keep them wet, for in that case the rinds will soften. 
304. Length of Curing Period. 
Swiss cheese cures slowly. As previously explained, the 
enzymes in the milk break down the hard curd into soluble 
peptones. This process takes a number of months and a fine 
Swiss cheese should be at least eight or ten months old before 
it is ready for consumption. 
305. Boxing Drum Swiss. 
Drum Swiss are shipped in large tubs. The tub is made a 
little tapering, and to fit the diameter of the cheese. First a 
large round scale board is put in the bottom of the tub. A 
cheese that just fills the tub in diameter is lifted in and pressed 
tight against the bottom. Another scale board next follows and 
on top of this another cheese is crowded. In this way probably 
six cheese are put in a tub. On top of the last a scale board 
is placed and then the circular cover is forced down on top, 
by the maker standing on it and gently crowding on all sides. 
With this pressure on it the cover is nailed into place. In this 
way the cheese will be prevented from moving and injury dur- 
ing transportation. Quite often a thousand pounds of cheese 
will be filled into one tub. If the cheese has to stand in stor- 
age a long time, especially if warm, it may sweat some and the 
scale boards will prevent the cheese sticking together and spoil- 
ing the rinds. 
306. Boxing Block Swiss. 
Block Swiss is put up in boxes six inches deep, twenty 
inches wide and three feet long. Such a box will hold a row 
