Composition of Cheese. 
happens that not only more but also a better quality is made in one 
dairy than in another from the same number of gallons of miflc. 
The food upon which dairy-stock is kept unquestionably exer- 
cises a great influence on the milk. It is, therefore, reasonable 
to expect certain pastures to be naturally better adapted for the 
production of rich cheese than others. Thus good old pasture 
not only produces richer milk than grass from irrigated meadows, 
but likewise a better quality of cheese, all other circumstances 
being equal in both cases. There is thus some reason in the 
almost universally received opinion that on some land good 
cheese can invariably be made, whilst on other land no amount 
of skill or care can bring about a like result. But at the same 
time I believe it is quite a mistake to think that good cheese can 
only be made in certain localities, and that the character of the 
pasture accounts entirely for the great differences found in the 
quality of this article. 'Good saleable, and even high-priced, 
cheese, I believe with Mr. Harding, can be made in any locality, 
whatever the character of the pasture may be, where an indus- 
trious and skilful hand, and an observant and intelligent head, 
presides over the operation ; and, on the other hand, the best and 
richest milk, the produce oft peculiarly favourable pastures, may 
be spoiled by a slovenly and ignorant dairymaid. But inasmuch 
as the nature of the herbage, as is well known, affects the richness, 
and especially the flavour, of the milk, and the herbage is sweeter 
in one locality than in another, and at one time of the year than at 
another, it is not likely that the very finest-flavoured cheese should 
be made indiscriminately on all land and all the year round. 
Still, after every allowance has been made for these natural 
peculiarities, it is nevertheless true that the various processes 
which are adopted in different counties determine in a great 
measure the prevailing character of the produce, whilst the want 
or bestowal of care and attention in making cheese, whether it 
be on the Cheshire, Cheddar, or any other plan, materially influ- 
ences the quality of the produce. 
Before 1 proceed to point out some of the practical errors 
which are often made in the manufacture of cheese, let us exa- 
mine the composition and chief peculiarities of some of the 
principal kinds made in England. 
English cheese is produced either from milk to which an extra 
quantity of cream has been added, or secondly from the whole- 
milk, or thirdly from milk from which more or less cream has 
been taken before the addition of the rennet. Accordingly we 
obtain — 
1. Cream-cheeses. 
2. Whole-milk cheeses, 
3. Skim-milk cheeses. 
