136 
Report on the Dairy and Stock-Farm 
rennet, says our colleague, Mr. Nuttall, lies at the root of all 
the good or evil in cheese-making. In the earliest stage of that 
process lies the secret of failure or success. On the rennet 
depends the retention or the loosening of the fatty particles in 
the milk in the outset. It produces a weak or a stable curd, 
which can be dealt with easily or otherwise thereafter. It holds 
or it loosens the curd when in its tender stage, preventing 
it from breaking into small particles and passing off as white 
whey. It affects the subsequent " cure " most seriously. It 
affects the taste, and it affects the sale, and it affects the profit. 
So important is it, that cheese which has started wrong in its 
first stage can never be rendered perfect afterwards. It is 
possible, and " even easy," Mr. Nuttall exclaims, " to make 
good cheese, but you cannot mend it." 
Mr. Nuttall recommends home-made rennet. Made from 
veils, cured from fatting calves which have been fed on milk 
alone, and kept in pickle till they are wanted, the result in their 
case is recognizable throughout. The curd must sour, not by 
added acid, but by the natural fermentation of the sugar of the 
milk ; and the natural home-made rennet is the best security 
for this. This, carried to its proper stage, is stopped at that 
stage by the salting. And there the province of the rennet 
ends. It must be added in the outset at the proper temperature 
— from 80° Fahr. upwards, and in the proper quantity ; and in 
both of these particulars you must be guided by experience. 
Mr. Nuttall's two dairy farms, a few miles apart, differ so much 
that the quantity required for six gallons of milk in one place 
is enough for nine gallons in another. The former is the richer 
milk, and requires much more rennet for the production of a 
sufficiently firm curd. 
Before leaving the dairy, it must be mentioned that to Mr. 
Fearnall's eldest unmarried daughter is due very much of the 
credit not only of the uniform excellence of the quality of all the 
dairy produce, but lor the whole superintendence and manage- 
ment of a large household ; for many of the men and boys are 
lodged and boarded in the house, and there is a family of ten, 
at home, left motherless but a short time ago. There are five 
children who go daily to school, besides the little ones at home. 
Two of the brothers help Mr. Fearnall on the farm ; and the 
whole industry and occupation is a most admirable example of 
united family work. The Judges recommended that the highest 
mark of approval at the disposal of the Society should be 
awarded here ;* and they highly commended Mr. Fearnall's farm 
for both its field and dairy management. 
* We understand that tl-.e Society's Certificate and Silver Medal hnve been 
awarded io Miss Fearnall. 
