THE MANUFACTURE OF CAMEMBERT CHEESE. 17 
shown by literature, no one has adopted this method of conditioning 
the air for curing cheese. It is desirable not only to regulate cheese- 
curing conditions but to prevent the mold from one curing room 
mixing with the air of another. There is little danger of such a 
condition causing trouble with Roquefort cheese. However, it is 
quite possible that the air from a Roquefort room might contaminate 
the air in a Camembert room. 
The system for regulating temperature and humidity used in our 
curing rooms includes an air washer with a fan for circulating the 
cooled air in a closed circuit through the rooms. The air washer 
consists of a series of sprays through which the air is drawn on its 
return from the room. The washer is so arranged that water 
from the sprays flows over direct-expansion ammonia coils which 
cool it to about 32 z F. Below the coils is a storage tank from which 
the water is forced through the sprays by a rotary pump. Between 
the sprays and the fan is a series of baffle plates to remove the en- 
trained water. Insulated ducts carry air into the curing rooms 
through the ceilings. Two inlets are provided for a room 11 by 19 
feet. The temperature of the room is held constant by dampers on 
the inlets operated by compressed-air motors. These motors are 
regulated by a thermostat. Four outlets in the ceiling of each room 
connect with a common-duct which returns the air to the washer. 
The system insures a thorough circulation of air within the room. 
By this arrangement the air leaves the air washer at a temperature 
of from 40 z to 45° F. and in a saturated condition. As it mixes 
with the warmer air of the curing room the relative humidity drops, 
and it is necessary in some cases to bring it to the desired point by 
introducing additional moisture. This is done very satisfactorily 
by throwing a jet of steam into the current of air as it comes into 
the room. This steam is carried under very low pressure and may be 
regulated by hand so that the relative humidity is held within nar- 
row limits. The steam is at once absorbed by the air, and while it 
adds a small amount of heat, it has given very satisfactory results. 
Equipment of ripenmg rooms. — For ripening Camembert cheese 
an open, light framework is essential to support the curing boards. 
This framework consists of a series of 2 by 2 or 2 by 4 inch posts 
joined at the floor and ceiling. Crossbars of 2 by 2 inch material 
from 6 to 8 inches apart connect these posts. In large factories there 
are numerous aisles 5 or 6 feet wide so that all the cheese is in reach 
from two sides. 
DRYING MACHINE. 
A great many of the larger Camembert plants use a machine for 
drying the mats. One type of dryer has steam coils along the sides 
and near the bottom. The sides, top, and bottom are of pine wood, 
lined with lapped block tin and a layer of asbestos between wood 
and tin to retain the heat. Attached to an iron frame is a track 
and countershaft on which is a conveyer that runs on a single track, 
and is used for handling the mats. The hooks, hanger, and track 
are rustproof and do not discolor the mats nor the cloths which often 
are dried this way. 
The dryer for drying Camembert mats at the Grove City creamery 
is one that was designed to suit the special needs of the plant, and is 
