Report on Cheese-maldng in Derhyshire. 537 
•capital dairy of some forty Shorthorns showed at once that they 
were indebted to other than home resources for their fine con- 
dition and large yield of milk. Mr. Carrington's practice of 
feeding them daily with 3 to 4 lbs. of decorticated cotton-cake has 
been attended with the best results to the cattle, besides adding 
much to the fertility of the farm. " Bamford's Cheese-making 
Machine" is used in this dairy, and proves a source of considerable 
economy both in time and labour. The milk made up at the July 
inspection consisted of about 100 gallons, the produce of the 
morning's and evening's milkings. When heated to 84 degrees, 
the rennet is added, and the mass stirred some time, it being 
most essential to thoroughly mix it with the milk. One hour 
is allowed for coagulation, when the breaking-up of the curd 
commences. This is done by an implement in the shape of a 
sieve, with wires placed crossways over the bottom of it. The 
ijreatest care is taken in this most important operation, the 
weight of the breaker being almost sufficient to sink it to the 
bottom of the tub, whence it is raised by a handle fastened 
perpendicularly on its centre. After the whole mass has been 
thus treated, the breaking goes on more rapidly ; the object 
■aimed at is to keep the whey as green as possible. At the 
expiration of about forty-five minutes, when the curd is broken 
into pieces about the size of peas, it is allowed to settle a short 
time, and is then gathered b}' a small shovel into the centre of 
the tub. The whey, when quite clear, is let off by a tap placed 
in the side of the tub, about one-third from the top. A stout, 
well-protected, tin-plated follower, thickly perforated with holes 
about the size of common shot and made to fit the interior of 
the tub, is now placed in it, and sinks by its own weight on the 
curd ; the whey runs off by another tap fixed on the bottom of 
the tub. The follower or sinker, which can be easily raised or 
lowered by means of a most convenient apparatus, connected 
with the machine mentioned above, is then lifted, the curd cut 
with a knife about a foot from the sides of the tub, and again 
collected in the centre (the whey constantly running off), and the 
sinker lowered, on which considerable pressure is applied by a 
screw, forming also a part of the machine. This operation is 
repeated continuously eight or ten times, until the curd is fairly 
dry, necessarily occupying considerable time and almost incessant 
attention. The curd is then ground in a mill, also made by 
Bamford, through which it passes twice ; fine cheese-salt is 
mixed with the curd in the proportion of 1 oz. to 6 lbs. ; and 
40 lbs. are made into one cheese. After being in the press for 
an hour, it is taken from the vat and placed in hot water at 150° 
lor a minute ; this is termed " scalding." It is again placed 
in the vat and pressed for five minutes, then taken out and a 
2 O 2 
