VAKIETIES OF CHEESE: DESCRIPTIONS AND ANALYSES. 3 
in an extended search through the literature relating in any way to 
the subject. Owing to the large number of publications consulted, 
it has seemed impracticable to give references to the descriptive 
matter. 
As will be noted, names and descriptions have been arranged alpha- 
betically, and no attempt has been made to classify the varieties. All 
such attempts made by others have been unsatisfactory and are open 
to serious criticism. There are probably about 18 distinct varieties 
of cheese. All the rest, consisting of more than 400 names given, 
are of local origin, usually named after towns or communities. A 
list of the best known names applied to each of these distinct varieties 
or groups is given: Brick, Caciocavallo, Camembert, Cheddar, Cot- 
tage, Dry, Edam, Emmental, Gouda, Hand, Holstein, Limburg, 
Neufchatel, Parmesan, Roquefort, Sapsago, Scanno, and Trappist. 
As stated, many of the names in the body of the bulletin are 
duplicates. It is the practice in most European countries to give 
local names to cheese ; it is said that in France more than 250 names 
are applied to cheese, while in fact probably not more than a dozen 
distinct kinds of cheese are made there. This naturally leads to 
much confusion, and especially is it true, as often happens, when a 
local name is given to more than one variety. It would certainly 
appear to be more rational to retain or employ variety names and 
give the names of the localities where manufactured. It is possible 
for a local name to mean much, but when it is used alone to apply 
to a number of varieties of the same product it means nothing. 
In most instances in this bulletin the analyses have been compiled 
from the original publications. In all cases, however, the sources of 
the data have been given in the list of references which follows the 
table of analyses. No effort has been made to collect the numerous 
analyses of filled cheese, and in the case of American Cheddar cheese 
only a part of the available data has been included in the compilation. 
DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES OF CHEESE. 
ABERTAM. 
This is a hard, rennet cheese made from sheep's milk in the^region of Carlsbad, 
Bohemia. 
ALEMTEJO. 
This name is applied to rather soft cheeses made in the Province of Alemtejo, 
Portugal. They are cylindrical in shape and are made in three sizes, averaging 
about 2 ounces, 1 pound, and 4 pounds, respectively. They are made for the 
most part from the milk of sheep, though goats' milk is often added, especially 
for the smaller sizes. The milk is warmed and curdled usually with an extract 
prepared from the flowers of a kind of thistle. The cheeses are ripened for 
several weeks. 
