COWS '-MILK ROQUEFORT CHEESE. 17 
times. The needles are about 3 millimeters, or £-inch in diameter. 
In France a specially constructed machine is used for this purpose 
and the cheeses may be punched at the rate of from 6 to 12 a minute. 
By the use of a remodeled drill press provided with steel needles, as 
shown in figure 6, one man can punch 50 or 60 cheeses an hour. 
Punching favors the mycelial growth and hastens the ripening. 
After being punched the cheeses are set on edge instead of on their 
flat surfaces, as has been the case heretofore. Placing the cheese 
in this position insures a maximum quantity of air in contact with 
the mold. 
RIPENING THE CHEESE. 
The temperature of the caves of Roquefort varies from 4° to 8° C. 
(39.2° to 46.4° F.). According to Marre, "the best caves are those 
where the temperature does not exceed 5° C. (41° F.) when the 
caves are empty, and 7 Q to 8° C. (44.6° to 46.6° F.) when the 
caves are filled with cheese. Unfortunately there are many caves 
in which the temperature is higher and reaches 10° to 12° C. 
(50° to 53.6° F.)." 12 The air of the rooms is cooled by evaporation 
caused by the air rushing through the channels with great intensity. 
In the winter the air change is not so rapid as in the summer; never- 
theless the temperature in the caves remains practically the same 
the year round. According to their situation, number, and quality, 
the air channels in these caves have a greater or lesser value. Often 
these currents of air have a velocity of 5 meters a second. According 
to Saussure's hygrometer these rooms have a relative humidity of 
from 90° to 100°. 13 
The conditions which appear to be most ideal for curing cows'- 
milk Roquefort, in the experience at Grove City, are summarized 
as follows : 
Table 10. — Conditions favorable for curing Roquefort cheese. 
Period. 
First week 
Second week 
Third and fourth weeks . 
Second and third months 
Fourth and fifth months 
Tempera- 
Relative 
ture. 
humidity 
Degrees F. 
Degrees. 
65-68 
i 85-90 
48-50 
80-90 
48-50 
i 80-90 
46-48 
90-95 
46-48 
i 80-90 
Ventilation. 
Slight. 
Considerable. 
Do. 
Moderate. 
Considerable. 
About. 
The humidity and ventilation indicated here can not be expressed 
with any greater degree of exactness at the present time. They 
serve to show in a general way, however, the conditions that have 
proved most successful. 
12 Marre, E., Le Roquefort, p. 132. 
» Marre, E., Le Roquefort, p. 134. 
