540 
The Chester Meeting. 
3 cheeses of 301b. to 601b. each. Of Class 296, the Judges 
report that “ the show was very fair, the larger proportion un- 
fortunately being of bad colour and off flavour ; this of course 
was quite expected owing to the length of time the cheese had 
been kept since 1892, and also to the extreme heat. The quality 
of the prize cheese stood out well from the bulk.” The Champion 
cheese was found in this class. The smaller cheeses in Class 297 
“ were, as a lot, only a poor show, and not nearly up to the 
standard of Class 296, many of the cheeses being very poor and 
soft, also ill-flavoured.” 
Three classes were set apart for coloured cheese, made in 
1893 — Class 298 for cheeses not less than 601b. each, Class 299 
for cheeses of 40 lb. to 60 lb. each, and Class 300 for cheeses of 
under 40 lb. each. The subjoined extracts are taken from the 
Judges’ report : — 
In reporting on these three classes of coloured cheese, all of this year’s 
make, we find 90 exhibits of the large size above 60 lb. each (Class 298), 
66 exhibits of 40 lb. each and less than 60 lb. (Class 299), and 36 
exhibits of cheese under 40 lb. each (Class 300). We find in each of the 
classes great diversity of quality, arising from the fact that the season of 
the year has not yet arrived when the best quality is made. Many lots 
evidently from good dairies were unripe, while not a few were tender in 
condition and short in texture, occasioned by the introduction of too much 
acidity. This may have been due to a desire on the part of the maker to 
insure early ripening. This also may account for the presence in many 
dairies of discoloration. Yet with all these deductions there remained a 
good percentage of rich forward cheese ready for consumption, and we do not 
think the percentage of best cheese differed much in the three classes in its 
proportion to the bulk exhibited. 
The great heat of Saturday and Sunday (June 17 and 18) had an 
unfavourable effect on the cheese, and the reputation of the maker suffered 
through this tropical heat. This feature should not be overlooked by 
those who viewed the cheese, especially the critical observers. 
We sympathise with our makers in their efforts to make early ripening 
cheese of uniform fine quality, from the fact that it appears to us more 
difficult and uncertain of attainment than was the production of really 
good cheese by a slower process in former days, but we must not forget 
that the standard of fine cheese has been raised. 
A significant incident has occurred at this Show. We refer to the fact that 
the same maker takes the highest prizes in the old and also in the new 
cheese. It is of the greatest importance that careful investigation should be 
made as to the process by which such a consummation has been attained, viz., 
the production of cheese which ripens early and yet • has good keeping 
qualities. It should be noted as significant that Mr. Thomas Houlbrooke’s 
cheese took the four leading prizes in the old and new cheese classes, and 
this success was verified by the fact that different Judges, without any 
knowledge of the owner of any exhibits, all fixed on cheese from the same 
dairy as the finest in the Show, the Judges being drawn from London, 
Newcastle-on-Tyne, and Cheshire. 
It has been generally assumed that the maker of cheese of fine keeping 
qualities could only excel in that style of cheese, but it is now proved that 
a fine cheese can be made to be early ripe, and yet has good keeping qualities ; 
