2 BULLETIN 608, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
The attempt to make Emmental and Limburg cheese in this coun- 
try has been very successful, as is proved by the statement that in 
Wisconsin alone 500 factories are making these varieties ; also, some 
factories in Ohio. New York, and northern Illinois are making them. 
Investigation by this department in cooperation with the experiment 
station at Storrs, Conn., has demonstrated that Camembert, and also 
a cheese of the same general nature as Eoquefort or Stilton, can be 
made successfully in this country. There is no reason to believe that 
any variety of cheese imported can not be made here, although with 
present knowledge it would not be advisable to try to make many 
kinds. Probably scientific investigation would show how to im- 
prove on the average quality of the cheese made in the old countries, 
for it must be remembered that only the very best is shipped by the 
European makers, the rest, or poorer grades, being consumed at home. 
Unfortunately, a feeling is prevalent in the United States that 
cheese equal to the best of the European product can not be produced 
here. This feeling is based upon a lack of knowledge of actual con- 
ditions in Europe and of the conditions affecting the qualities of 
cheese. Certain parts of Europe probably are better favored by de- 
sirable climatic conditions and by more general dissemination of the 
bacteria or molds necessary to the characteristic ripening of different 
varieties, but even the best average natural conditions can be im- 
proved on by artificial means, since necessary molds or bacteria can 
be grown in pure cultures and utilized anywhere. However, the cost 
may render it impracticable. 
It is an unfortunate fact that the sale of homemade varieties of 
European cheese is seriously handicapped by the partiality of con- 
sumers for foreign labels. The prejudice against American-made 
cheese has been intensified to a great degree by the practice of dealers 
who sell the better grades of homemade cheese as imported, and the 
poorer grades as domestic. It is probable that this practice continues 
in the sale of domestic Swiss or Emmental, as there is at present no 
means of detecting fraud in the sale of that type of cheese. 
The demand for information concerning the different varieties of 
cheese has become general, and the information is not very accessible 
to those unable to read other languages than English. The apparent 
need of some work of reference in connection with both the importa- 
tion and the home production of cheese has therefore led to the 
prepartion of the descriptive notes and the compilation of the 
analytical data in this bulletin. 
The descriptions are for the most part based upon data found in 
treatises on dairying and in articles in foreign periodicals. While in 
many instances they are very incomplete and possibly in some cases 
inaccurate, they nevertheless contain in condensed form practically 
all the important information that it has been possible to obtain 
