THE CULTIVATOR 
147 
ON THE MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY COWS AND 
CHEESE DAIRIES. 
BY ALONZO L. FISH OF HERKIMER CO., N. Y. 
(Concluded from page 131.) 
It is difficult to give a regular system of directions for 
manufacturing cheese, which will apply to every one’s 
circumstances, as there are many minute items which 
have their chemical agency in the process, whose con¬ 
cert of action is varied by many incidental causes. The 
nature and condition of the cows, the quality and treat¬ 
ment of the soil, the varieties of food from which the 
milk is formed, and the temperature of the weather, may 
vary the common properties of the milk so that it would 
be impossible to adopt a method which would make the 
same quality of cheese from the milk of every dairy, or 
even from the same dairy. 
Yet I think a regular systematic course of feeding cows 
summer and winter, so as to keep them vigorous and not 
easily affected by the asperities of weather, keeping them 
cool in warm weather and warm in cold weather, and 
milking at regular equal hours, and feeding with a view 
to keep up an uniform flow of milk, will do much to¬ 
wards keeping an equilibrium in the common properties 
of the milk, and thus prepare it for a systematic process 
of digestion, which would save the dairywoman much 
unjust censure. To have -this arrangement more com¬ 
plete, the room for making cheese should be an under 
ground room, with stone walls and floor, which should 
be pointed with water lime, and so constructed as to con¬ 
trol the temperature in cool weather during spring and 
fall, also through the heat of summer. 
The rennet, if property saved, generally contains the 
same common qualities, and will always produce a like 
effect upon the common properties of the milk, if aided 
alike by its principal chemical agent, which is heat. It 
is therefore necessary to first bring the whole quantity 
of milk to an equal temperature. It is a common prac¬ 
tice to put a part of the evening’s milk into a vessel and 
warm it sufficient to produce the necessary equilibrium 
of heat when mixed with the balance of milk. In this 
process the milk is often heated from 100 to 120 degrees, 
which is a great error and a serious one, as this is the 
first step that is generally taken in making cheese. The 
heat of milk and curd should never be raised above 96 or 
98 degrees for making cheese. It is well known that 
oversealding curtails the usual quantity of curd. This is 
occasioned by a separation of the oily or animal proper¬ 
ties of the milk by excess of heat, and always takes place 
when heated above the natural temperature of the sto¬ 
mach and milk, which is about 96 or 98 degrees. 
Heat is an active chemical agent in consolidating the 
constituent parts of bodies, but it is also still more ac¬ 
tive in decomposing them when used to excess. If there 
is danger of a certain degree of heat overcoming the equi¬ 
librium of chemical attractions, after the more solid pro¬ 
perties of the milk are collected into curd, (which I ad¬ 
mit,) there is a greater danger of the same degree of 
heat overcoming those attractions in heating the milk, 
when those solid properties are floating at a greater dis¬ 
tance from each other, and cannot have the same cohe¬ 
sive aid to guard against it. 
A very slight observation in an experiment of this 
kind, will satisfy the querist of the truth of this position. 
It is therefore necessarj’ that the whole quantity of milk 
should be carefully and equally warmed, by stirring it 
continually, so that no part of it shall come in contact 
with too much heat, which would separate the light oily 
parts of the milk from the common mass. This quality 
of the milk (which is the fat of the cheese,) cannot be 
united with the common mass after being separated by 
heat. It will then be found in the cream of the whey. 
If more of this article is left in the cheese, less will be 
required upon the surface. 
When the milk. is thoroughly warmed to 90 degrees, 
and placed in a tub or vat, a sufficient quantity of rennet 
should be thoroughly mixed with it, to coagulate in 40 
minutes. A large quantity of rennet should not be soaked 
at once, as it will be difficult to keep it pure. 
If in warming the milk, the proper temperature has not 
been attained, it may be regulated by a few gallons of 
warm or cold water, as the case may require. When 
warm water or whey are used about the milk or curd, 
over 96 degrees, it should be immediately equalized 
through the whole mass, so that those parts which come 
in contact with it first shall not be overheated. This 
overheat should be cautiously guarded against where there 
is the least chance for its effect. When the milk is co¬ 
agulated so that the whey will settle clear, in a cavity 
made by putting in the finger or hand, it should be care¬ 
fully broken up with the hand with as little rinsing as 
possible. One person to every 30 lbs. cheese, is neces¬ 
sary to be engaged in this process, in order that it may 
be performed in due time and in a careful manner. It 
should not be left after it is commenced, until it is worked 
down fine, and even so that the scalding process will 
operate equally upon the whole. 
I am aware that one person will stir up a large curd, 
and make more motion in the tub than several, but I 
want no “ duck playing” in my cheese tub, with milk 
or curd. The curd should be made fine with as -little 
motion as possible, while there is sufficient heat for the 
coagulator to continue its effect. In the process of break¬ 
ing up curd, there are numerous small particles that get 
disengaged from the common mass and float about in the 
whey. But if the mass is kept at its proper heat, and 
they are not rinsed off in the whey, they will again co¬ 
here. It is necessary that the curd should be made fine, 
80 that it will cook equally in scalding with a moderate 
heat, which should not be allowed to fall below 86 or 88 
degrees during the process of breaking up. After work¬ 
ing it 30 minutes, the heat may be gradually increased 
while working it by adding whey; cautiously observing 
the degree of heat, and mixing equally as above direct¬ 
ed, until it is of an uniform heat of 96 degrees, and keep 
it at this heat for 30 minutes, during which time a per¬ 
fect equilibrium of heat should be kept through the 
whole by stirring it moderately and keeping it from co¬ 
hering into a mass; it will then be thoroughly cooked 
and not scorched. Whey should be drained off, and one 
pound of Salina salt added to 60 lbs. of curd; mix it tho¬ 
roughly and put it in press; in four hours change the 
cloth and press 12 hours; change cloth again and press 
12 hours, which will be sufficient. The press hoops and 
cloths should be kept sweet by scalding; weak l 5 ’e may 
be used with good effect in cleaning them; strict care 
should be taken to keep the pails, tubs, &c. perfectly 
sweet, as it is impossible to make good cheese from milk 
that is changed. It should be the first object of the dairy 
woman to preserve the milk perfectly sweet until the 
curd goes into the hoop; even then, if the cloths, press, 
hoops, &c. are rancid, it will effect the flavor of the 
cheese, and cause a rough rind, &c. 
After pi'essing sufficiently, the cheese should be taken 
out, and stand upon a table two hours, to dry the rind 
and receive a coat of grease, which should be applied 
hot, to penetrate it and make the coat impervious to flies 
and air. The cheese should then be daily turned and 
rubbed, and occasionally oiled with whey butter. This 
is the best oil to use, as it is a constituent part of the 
cheese, and will not become so rancid as lard or other 
animal oils. 
Cheese shelves should be kept free from any thing 
rancid, and the room should be kept thoroughly cleansed 
from rancid air, and of a temperature not to exceed 70 
degrees; as an excess of heat would make smart rancid 
cheese. A fine firm quality of cambric should be used 
for bandaging cheese; it will immediately form a coat 
impervious to air and flies, (if thoroughly oiled,) and 
preserve the rind clean and tender, and cause less waste 
in the rind. 
If the curd is not broken equally fine, in scalding, some 
particles will be cooked too hard, while the coarser 
grains will not be cooked through, and in breaking them 
will be found to contain fluid which cannot be pressed 
out, and will remain to ferment and make rancid bad 
cheese. In short, curd must be worked fine and evenly, 
and thoroughly cooked, to make good cheese: which 
may be done by making it fine enough and scalding it 
long enough at 96 degrees, which will not overheat. 
If a cheese is desired very mild and destitute of smart¬ 
ness, this qualify may be lessened by taking the animal 
heat out of the milk before it is manufactured, and by 
cooling the curd before salting. But cheese thus made 
will not cement together so solid in pressing, and will 
require more care to preserve them, and a longer time 
to cure. The variation necessary to be made in the shape, 
consistency and flavor of cheese, to fit them for different 
tastes, change of climate, and safe transportation to fo¬ 
reign markets, may be made by the skillful use of salt, 
which is the grand regulator and preserver after it is 
pressed. I therefore advise that cheese be well salted, 
as a general rule; for there is more loss to the consumer 
in one cheese lacking in salt, than in ten that are salted 
rather too much. Cheese that lack salt will be soft and 
elastic, and its properties will be easily dissolved when 
exposed to a high temperature, for want of a sufficient 
bod)’, and will be found to leak out the richest part of 
the cheese in a sort of oil, after they are cured: conse¬ 
quently a bad unsafe article to export to distant markets. 
But cheese that has plenty of salt and is well manu¬ 
factured, will have a firm body and smart taste, and bear 
exposure in a high temperature without leaking out their 
best substance, and may be safely exported. 
I will now submit the result of my operations with 20 
cows the present season, according to the directions here¬ 
inabove given, commencing on the 19th day of April, 
with 16 cow’s milk. On the ]9th of April we com¬ 
menced making cheese with the milk of 16 cows; on 
the 10th of May the milk of three more was added, and 
on the 10th of June the twentieth cow was added. 
As feeding whey to cows, which is usually fed to 
swine, shifts a small profit, as I have practiced, I will 
allow the value of 25 lbs. of marketable pork, which is 
as much as is usually realized from the whey of a single 
cow in one season. I also charge all roots and grain 
feed used, at their fair market value, together with 400 
lbs. of cheese per cow for the season, which is as much 
as the same cow would make upon the same hay and 
grass only. 
600 lbs. pork, say at 4c. $20.00 
8,400 “ cheese, at 6^ .$520.00 
60 bush, mangel wurzel, Is. 7.50 
67 “ potatoes, l8c. 11.46 
15 “ corn, 4s. 7.60 
10 “ barley, 40c. 4.00 
80 “ wheat bran, lie. 8.80 
$759.26 
Whole amount of cheese made to date, 
commencing on the 19th of April, as 
stated above, 11,300 lbs. at 6|c. $734..60 
Allow for extra quality, half cent,. 56.50 
$791.00 
Making a balance of $211.74, in favor of the above 
mode of treatment, and leaving tlie cows in full flesh and 
vigor, to protract the fluency of the milk till late in the 
season A. L. Fish. 
“This may certify that I have manufactured the milk 
of A. L. Fish’s dairy into cheese the present season, and 
have carefully weighed the whole amount up to this date, 
and find it to be 11,603 lbs. of present weight, (except 
1,281 lbs. weighed at market,) also 96 lbs. of butter, 
which was made previous to April I9th, at which time 
cheese making commenced. Witness my hand, Oct. 20, 
1842. William C. Young.” 
By request I extend a report in full of the management 
of my dairy since the Fair, till the close of the milk sea¬ 
son, which is about the first of January, in connection 
with the above report, and the result is as follows, viz: 
On the decline of grass my cows were fed once a day for 
20 days, with green corn sown broadcast, as a matter of 
experiment, which succeeded even beyond my anticipa¬ 
tions; also three-fourths of an acre of beet tops. On the 
approach of cold frosty nights and through cold storms 
they were kept stabled, and kept dry and clean. As soon 
as grass had lost its nutrition by frequent freezing, they 
were fed plenty of hay after feeding the corn and beet 
leaves; they were fed regular at morning, each cow with 
a pail full of slop before feeding hay, which would afford 
them sufficient drink till midday. At 10 o’clock, A. M. 
they were turned out to get water, and exercise, to re¬ 
main four hours, if the weather was mild; if not, put 
back again in the stable immediately after getting drink, 
and fed with hay; after eating hay, were fed with a peck 
of roots each, at evening, which tends to equalize the 
moisture in the stomach, with the dry hay. The slop 
was made by putting three quarts of barley meal, or four 
quarts of oat meal for each cow, into a large tub or vat, 
and add hot water enough to make a pail full for each 
cow, with the whey of the cheese being added, and co¬ 
vered tight to prevent an escape of the gas in fermenta¬ 
tion, and thus remain 24 hours before feeding. This is 
fed in the morning, before feeding hay, to equalize the 
moisture in the stomach, and also disposes the cows to 
give down their milk freely, which is very necessary at 
this season of the year. 
The whole amount of roots and grain fell to cows du¬ 
ring the operation, is as follows: 
Amount fed in Spring 
67 bush, potatoes, at I8c. $11.46 
60 “ mangel wurzel, at Is. 7.50 
15 “ corn meal, at 4s. 7.50 
10 “ barley, at 40c. 4.00 
80 “ wheat bran, at 11c. 8.80 
Amount fed since Sept. 1st. 
29 “ barley, at 3s. 10.88 
81 “ of oats, at 18c. 14.58 
400 “ mangel wurzel, at 6d. 24.00 
Sown corn and beet tops,. 15.00 
$103.72 
I also charge the cows with 30 lbs. of pork 
each, which would have been made by 
feeding the whey to swine, 600 lbs. at $3 
per hundred,. 18.CO 
I also charge them with 500 lbs. of cheese 
each, as a quantity they would have made 
from the same hay and grass only, at $5,50 
per hundred, which is ten thousand,. 650.00 
4 calves sold at 3 days old,. 5.50 
16 deacon skins at 2s. 6d. each,. 5.00 
Whole amount of indebtedness for the season, $782.22 
Coirs credit. 
By cheese delivered to S. Green, Nov. 17th,. lbs 10,515 
Am’t of cheese weighed at home, Dec. 1st,. “ 2,670 
“ “ made after and weighed when 
taken from the press,.“ 811 
96 Ib^. of butter was made before the 19th of 
April, when cheese making commenced, 
and 205 lbs. made after cheese making, in 
all 301 lbs., equal to double tlie amount of 
cheese,.“ 602 
I deduct 400 lbs. for use of the family cow, 
from June 20th till Nov. 1st.“ 400 
Whole amount of cheese from 20 cows,.... ‘‘ 14,198 
Credited at $7 per hundred which is the net 
price received for it,. $993.86 
By 4 calves sold at 3 days old,... 5.50 
By 16 deacon skins at 2s. 6d. 5.00 
$1,004.36 
Cows indebtedness,. 782.22 
Thus showing a balance in favor of a syste¬ 
matic mode of treatment, of. $222.14 
I charge the cheese at $64 and credit it at $7, because 
the latter was the net price obtained, and because I think 
cheese made fron: cows under such a course of treatment, 
especially in the two first and two last months in the sea¬ 
son, is worth to the consumer half a dollar per hundred 
more than that made from hay in spring, and fog and 
moonshine in the fall. 
My cows are now in high flesh, in calf, and in proper 
condition to commence the milk season again the first of 
April next, without being fed any thing more than plenty 
of good hay, until they make milk again. The average 
age of my cows is nine years; color, red; native breed, 
some mixture of Holderness; their build low and heavy, 
with strong muscular system, and thought by most dai¬ 
rymen to be so even to a fault, with a strong develop¬ 
ment of vital apparatus. 
This latter quality will be found by the enterprising 
