202 Milk and Butter Tests at the JYewcastle Show, 1908. 
Shorthorn, Red Polls, Jersey, Guernsey, and Kerry, the object 
being to see (a) whether the richer milks from the Channel 
Island cattle were suitable for making this class of cheese, ( b ) 
whether the prime cost of making the cheeses would be the 
same in each case, and ( c ) whether the milks from the other 
three breeds, which more nearly resemble the milk used in the 
Wensleydale district were not the best for the purpose, taking 
into consideration the high position the Wensleydale cheeses 
hold in the market. 
The five lots of milk, which were kept separate and used 
within two hours of their being brought to the dairy, were all 
treated in the following manner. 
From | to 1 pint of a starter (lactic acid ferment) was 
mixed with each lot of milk ten minutes before renneting. 
One dram of rennet was added to every 4 gallons of milk at a 
temperature of 85° F. 
The milks were stirred to keep the cream from rising for 
about fifteen minutes after renneting, when coagulation com- 
menced. They were then covered up and left for about an 
hour to an hour and a quarter to set, then cut with American 
curd knives into cubes and allowed to pitch for ten minutes 
for the curd to firm slightly, when they were stirred for twenty 
minutes, then covered again and left for the further period of 
an hour. 
The whey was next drawn off and the curd lifted into 
cloths to drain. It was then cut every twenty minutes while 
the acidity was developing, which varied from three to four 
hours. 
The curds were all tested for acidity by the “ hot iron ” 
test, which, although not the most accurate method, is in 
general use amongst cheese makers. 
The curds were then weighed, broken and salted, one 
ounce of salt being added to every 4 lb. of curd and put into 
the cheese mould without a cloth and allowed to settle, after 
which they were turned into cloths and put into the .press 
with slight pressure, being turned once every twenty-four 
hours until a nice smooth coat was formed, when they were 
removed into moulds and bandaged. 
The cheeses were subsequently packed, and by the kind 
permission of Mr. Rowntree were sent to his dairy at Kirby- 
Overblow, so that Miss Sykes, who made the cheeses, might 
look after them until they were fit for sale. 
They were kept all alike at a temperature varying from 
55° to 60° F. and turned very frequently. They did not all 
ripen evenly, the milk being so different in quality, the amount 
of acidity developed in the curd before salting evidently not 
being uniform in each case. 
