CHE 
CHE 
the. cheese depending on that of the milk 
i^sed on the occasion. Varidus processes 
are recommended, but to detail them 
would be a voluminous task ; we shall, how- 
ever, state, in as few words as the subject 
will admit, how cheese is usually made. 
The milk, being previously warmed, is 
turned, by the mixture of rennet, into an 
apparently solid mass. This being cut 
across with a brass knife, (for iron is sup- 
posed by many to give a bad flavour) 
occasions the curd to separate from the 
whey ; the latter is given to pigs, or is sold 
as a beverage, while the former is put into 
a press made for the purpose, and all the 
whey is completely separated, falling 
through holes in the bottom of the press, 
while tlie curd is kept in by a coarse kind 
of cloth, made principally for that purpose. 
The curd must be repeatedly cut into mi- 
nute squares, and be as often subjected to 
the press. When mixed for the last time, 
salt is added ; and if any colour is to be 
given, a small quantity of annatto, or other 
colouring matter, is put in ; though this is 
sometimes done in the early stages of the 
manufacture. Many put in sage-leaves, or 
mix plain and various-coloured curds toge- 
ther, according to fancy ; the goodness of 
the cheese will, however, always depend 
on the richness of the milk. When the 
cheese has been kept a proper time in the 
mould, and will bear handling, it is 
taken out, and put on a shelf ; carefully 
turning it every day, so that it may be 
dried alike ; it is next rubbed with green 
nettles, &c. and by some with salt, under 
the opinion that these help to ripen it. 
Every county has some favourite recipe for 
the operation, and all alike claim the palm 
of pre-eminence : we may, perhaps, be 
correct in saying, that in each there are 
both excellent and execrable cheeses made. 
Cheshire, Gloucester, Wiltshire, and Stil- 
ton, seem to be the most approved, while, 
on the other hand, that made in SnlTolk, 
being usually from skimmed or flitted milk, 
and, consequently, deprived of all the bu- 
tyrous part, is considered proverbially 
poor. 
As an article of diet, cheese cannot, on 
the whole, be accounted nourishing : that 
which is old, crumbling, and rich, is as- 
suredly a powerful aid to digeslion, and 
has been given with great success in cases 
where children have ate incautiously of 
crude fruits ; but such as is dry, and of a 
sour taste, may be justly ranked among 
the minor poisons. The rennet which is 
used for turning the milk is nothing more tl wit 
the stomach of a young calf, or of a pig, in 
wliich the gastric juices are preserved, by 
means of a handful or two of salt. A very 
small quantity of this preparation will suf- 
fice to many gallons of milk ; and as the 
rennet-bag, as it is called, may be emptied, 
it may be once or twice replenished, 
though the liquor W'ill not be so strong. 
Some dry the rennet-bag, after having been 
thus used, and throw a piece in to turn the 
milk. See Milk. 
CHEIllANTHUS, in botany, a genus of 
the Tetradynamia Siliqiiosa class and or- 
der. Natural order of Siliquos® Cruci- 
formes. Essential character ; germ with a 
glandulons toothlet on each side; calyx 
closed, with two leaflets, gibbous at the 
base; seeds flat. There are twenty-two 
species, of which C. cheiri, common wall- 
flower, is about a foot high, with a woody 
stem ; on walls it is seldom more than eight 
inches, with very tough roots and firm 
stalks; the leaves short and sharp-pointed ; 
the flowers are well known, being one of 
those which have been cultivated for their 
fragrancy time imnieniorial in our gardens. 
C. incami.s, stock gilliflower, is nearly the 
same height, shrubby, with spear-shaped 
leaves, which are fi equently waved on tlieir 
edges, and turn downward at the extre- 
mity; the side branches are each termi- 
nated by a loose spike of flowers, each hav- 
ing a woolly calyx, and four large roundish 
petals indented at the end. These usually 
appear in May and June. The flowers of 
this sort vary in their colour ; some are pale 
and others of a deep red ; tlie latter are 
generally most esteemed. If the seed be 
well chosen, frequently three parts in four 
of the plants will be double. C. anmius, 
annual stock gilliflower, or ten-week stock, 
is two feet high, with a round, smooth stalk, 
dividing into many branches at top. The 
flowers are produced in loose spikes at the 
ends of the branches, and are placed alter- 
nately; the calyx is large, erect, and 
slightly cut into several acute parts at the 
top; the petals are large and heart-shaped. 
Of this sort there are the red, purple, 
white, arid striped ; which are great orna- 
ments in the borders of the flower-garden 
in autumn. 
CHELIDONIUM, in botany, a genus 
of the Polyandria Monogynia class and or- 
der. Natural order of Rhoeade®. Essen - 
sential character: cqrolla four-petalled ; 
calyx two-leaved ; silique one-celled, li- 
near. There are five species, of which 
