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111. — Essaij oil Recent Improvcmenta in Dairy Fructicc. 
By James Fulton. 
Prize Essay. 
In no branch of our rural economy would theoretical knowledge 
be of more service than in the dairy, yet dairy practice is 
perhaps less enlightened by science or aided by scientific appli- 
ances than any other. The art of cheesemaking, as is well 
known, has for a long period remained stationary, if it has not 
retrograded. When an empirical process, devoid of any guiding 
principle, is handed down from one generation to another, what 
other result can be looked for ? It is the opinion of many, and 
records furnish strong evidence in its favour, that English cheese 
of the present day is inferior in quality to that which was made 
centuries ago. 
It is gratifying, however, to observe that this important branch 
has at length partaken of the spirit of the age, and that through 
the efforts of several ingenious and public-spirited individuals, 
some valuable chemical and mechanical improvements, calculated 
to improve the quality and increase the quantity of our produce, 
have recently been introduced. Amongst these the following 
deserves particular notice : — -An apparatus, invented and patented 
by Mr. Richard Keevil, of Stroud Farm, Laycock, near Chippen- 
ham, for cutting, filtering, and pressing the curd. One of these 
was presented to the Bakewell Farmers' Club by Sir Joseph 
Paxton, with a view to its being put into the hands of the 
members for trial. It was entrusted to the care of Mr. Gregory, 
of Meadow Place, who reported favourably to the Club, and 
subsequently furnished a fuller statement to the maker in a 
letter of which the following is a copy : — 
" Meadow Place Farm, Bakewell, Derbyshire, 
"July 18, 1856. 
" Gentlemen, — I have much pleasure in handing you a copy of my report 
upon the trial made with Keevil's patent cheese-making apparatus. I should 
liave sent you this report sooner, but the result of the first trial so surprised 
me, and the increased weight of curd making the cheese a larger size than suits 
this market, I determined to make a second trial before doing so. 
" I now send you the results of both trials, and must say they have fully 
satisfied me of the great advantage to be gained by the use of this apparatus. 
Besides the increased weight of curd produced, there is a great amount of 
arduous and unpleasant labour saved, the process being rendered much easier 
and_ mote cleanly. I have bored two of the first cheeses I made by the appa- 
ratus, and find them much firmer than any others made in the usual manner, 
although they are four or five weeks older. 
" I am, Gentlemen, yours veiy truly, 
" Thomas Gregory. 
« Messrs. T. F. Griffiths: 
