6 BULLETIN 576, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
The trench system of drainage is now more extensively used than 
the drain-rack system. In this case the various operations of wash- 
ing, salting, and creaming the cheese are all carried out in the origi- 
nal setting vat. All the whey is removed before washing with cold 
water, unless there is danger of the curd becoming too dry, which 
is not frequent. If it shows signs of becoming too dry the cold 
water is run in immediately, before much of the whey has been 
withdrawn. After the curd has been sufficiently washed the water 
is drained as completely as possible, and the curd is piled along 
each side of the vat, forming a trench in the middle (fig. 2). This 
facilitates the escape of whey, in a manner similar to that used in 
the manufacture of Cheddar cheese. The purpose of washing the 
curd is to prevent it from becoming too tough and rubbery, and to 
aid in eliminating the whey. There should be little or no free 
whey in the cheese at the time of salting. The advantages of the 
trench system over the drain-rack system are: 
(1) Less space is required; (2) drain cloths and special racks are 
eliminated, thereby reducing the cost of equipment and labor: (3) 
the curd particles are broken less and there is less loss of curd 
particles in the whey: (4) the curd requires less constant attention: 
(5) the curd may be salted and creamed while still in the vat, and 
packed directly from the vat into the tubs. 
Fic. 3.—Cartons for marketing cottage cheese 
SALTING AND CREAMING 
When the curd has been drained sufficiently, salt is added and 
well worked into the cheese. The rate of salting is determined by 
the demand, some markets desiring a light-salted and others prefer- 
ring a heavy-salted cheese. One and one-quarter pounds of salt to 
100 pounds of cheese gives a medium-lght salted cheese satisfactory 
to the ordinary taste. From 3 to 4 ounces of salt to 100 pounds of 
milk is about the right degree of salting, and perhaps may be a 
better basis on which to begin. It usually is advisable to salt rather 
lightly, allowing the consumers greater opportunity to prepare the 
cheese to suit their individual tastes. 
The addition of 1 pound of sweet cream to 10 pounds of cheese 
greatly increases palatability, and is to be recommended, especially 
