178 CHEESE MAKING. 
gives the night’s milk a chance to ripen. The author observed 
sour Edams in the factories and dairies, and on the markets, 
which shows that the lactic acid sometimes gets the start of 
the makers. The purpose of the whey starter is to check the 
gaseous fermentations. 
Fig. 89.—Curing-room of an Edam cheese factory at Hoogskarpsel in 
North Holland. 
342. Treatment of Cheese for Market. 
The cheese is marketed when it is about a month old. It 
may mold some on the shelves, and is therefore washed and 
then dried. A coat of linseed oil is rubbed over the surface 
making the cheese shine. It is loaded into carts without boxing 
and carried to market. 
343. Description of an Edam Market. 
On arriving at the market, which is a large open space, 
paved with stones, in the middle of the city, straw is first laid 
down on the pavement and the cheese piled on it in pyramidal 
pile like so many cannon balls. The pile is covered over with 
a cloth to protect it from the heat of the sun. When the mar- 
ket opens, buyers pass among the piles and try a sample from 
