Report on the Clieesemaking Competition (it Preston. 335 
the whole of which time it was kept in motion with the hands ; 
ran whey off at 4 o'clock at 98°. The curd at this stage was in 
pieces about the size of a hazel-nut, and not allowed to solidify. 
It was then placed on a drainer lined with muslin, and covered 
with a thick cloth and brown-paper sheets, the curd being 
frequently moved to prevent its becoming solid, and steam 
applied to keep the heat stationary until it was considered 
sufficiently acid, which was tested by taste, also by putting a 
piece of the curd against a hot iron until it would draw into 
strings at least two inches in length ; 2^ lbs. of salt was mixed 
with the 121 lbs. of curd, which, still as large as nuts, was 
ungronnd, put into two vats and pressed at 7.30, with a pressure 
of 15 cwts. ; dry cloths were applied, and the cheese taken out at 
11.30 on the 13th. Whey showed 1 per cent, cream. No. 2 
also on the 11th received 850 lbs. of milk at 10.40, showing 
8 per cent, of cream ; steam was admitted into the case, gra- 
dually raising the heat in one hour and a quarter to 86°, which 
constant stirring reduced to 82°. To test the ripeness of the 
milk at this stage, he took 4 oz. of it, adding 1 drachm of 
rennet to show the thickening in twenty-eight to thirty-two 
seconds, this became solid curd in sixty seconds, and a milk 
sample also then taken yielded 9 per cent, of cream. At 12.45, 
3^ oz. of rennet, mixed with 3^ oz. of water, was stirred into 
the milk, which was continually agitated until after it had 
thickened ; after standing sixty minutes the curd was cut with 
knives into small pieces, steam turned on, and quickly moved 
with rakes for one hour and a quarter, when the temperature 
had slowly risen to 98° ; it was then allowed to settle, and the 
whey syphoned off at 4.25. The curd, kept in pieces the size 
of peas, was drained and dried on cloths till 7.45 P.3I., when it 
weighed 84^ lbs. ; 2 lbs. of salt having been mixed in, it was put 
into a vat, and under pressure of 15 cwt. ; at 8 o'clock the 
cloths were changed and washed in pearlash, and pressure in- 
creased to 25 cwt., under which it remained until the Tuesday 
following, when distinctive marks having been placed on each 
cheese, they were sent off for the purpose of being thoroughly 
cared for and ripened in the cheeseroom of one of the Judges. 
In December (when five months old), they were tested, with 
the following results : — 
Xo. 1. — First day's make. Poor, uncured, full of holes, bad flavour ; 
weighed 89 lbs. 
„ Second „ Fairly good, being clean, of good texture, 
perfect cure ; weighed 103 lbs. 
Xo. 2. — First day's make. Highly coloiu'ed, dry and poor ; quality 
inferior ; weighed 74 lbs. 
„ Second Good texture, poor quality, and the flavour 
imperfect; weighed 71 lbs. 
