1^^ Illinois State Dairymen s Association. 



THE PROCESS OF MAKING CHEESE. 



By J. R. Biddulph, Providence, III. 



To make good cheese, clean, sweet milk is the first essential 

 for unclean or sour milk makes a very poor cheese, in fact it is 

 almost impossible to make anything that will sell for cheese. 



The first thing in the morning is to get ready to receive 

 the milk from the patrons as they drive up to the intake, and set 

 their cans on this platform, where there is a platform scale and 

 the weighing can. 



The cheesemaker takes off the covers, examines the milk, 

 then empties it into the can where it is weighed and run through 

 a conductor to the vat. When all the patrons have come that 

 he expects that morning, he turns on the steam and the milk is 

 heated to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. While that is going on, he takes 

 the slate and finds the amount of milk received, to know how 

 much color and rennet to use. Then the coloring and rennet 

 are added to the milk and stirred for a short time after which it 

 is left for twenty or thirty minutes to coagulate. 



Then take the perpendicular curd knife and cut it length- 

 wise, then crosswise, then with the horizontal knife cut it length- 

 wise and this leaves it in cubes. Stir gently for a short time 

 before the steam is applied and continue stirring until it reaches 

 98 degrees after which it is stirred occasionally until it is 

 thoroughly scalded, which takes from two to three hours. 



When it begins to show a little acid, draw off the whey. 

 Then if we work on the granular system, dip the curds into a 

 curd sink to drain stirring until it is cooled. Next it is salted. 

 The rule for salting being 2^ lbs. to one thousand pounds of 

 milk. 



When the salt is thoroughly stirred into the curd, it is then 

 ready for the hoops and put to press for a short time or until 

 we get the vat and other things washed. 



Then the cheese is taken out of the hoops and the bandage 

 straightened, for when it is put on with a bandage it isn't smooth 

 Now put it in the hoops and press again where it is left till next 

 morning. 



