The Practice of Cheshire Cheese Makimj. 433 
next two or three hours, when it is ready to grind ; then it is passed 
through the curd mill, the salt well mixed, and filled into the 
hoops, in the interior of which a cloth has been placed. It is then 
carried to the press-house and placed in the cheese oven, where 
it is kept warm to promote drainage. At night it is turned 
into a clean dry cloth and put back in the oven ; next morning 
it is again turned and put under press, where it remains four or 
five days, or until dry, being turned each morning into a dry 
cloth. When taken from under press, a calico binder is pasted 
on it, and it is carried away to the curing-room. Each end is 
rubbed twice with soft grease such as the fat of bacon, or oiled 
Fig. 5. — Ripening Room. 
with linseed-oil twice to prevent the rind cracking, after which it 
is turned daily for the first few days, then every other day for a 
month, then twice a week for the ensuing month, when it should 
be ready for sale. 
The Late Ripening Process. — The evening's milk is by some 
sieved into shallow pans and placed on the dairy floor. In the 
morning the cream is carefully skimmed ofi", and most of the 
milk transferred to the cheese vat. By others it is sieved direct 
into the vat, and in the morning the cream taken off. The 
morning's milk is then added, and the cream, slightly warmed, 
is passed through the sieve with it, and as much of the evening's 
