196 Reporr oF THE CueMIoGAL DEPARTMENT OF THE 
I. INTRODUCTION. 
It is well known among cheesemakers that cheese begins to 
lose weight immediately from the time it is taken from the press 
and placed upon the shelves of the curing-room; this loss con- 
tinues indefinitely. While there has been some study in Europe 
relating to the conditions and extent of loss of weight in cheese- 
curing, the results thus obtained are not generally applicable 
to the conditions prevailing in this country. Some study of this 
question has been made in America, but it has been rather 
desultory in character, lacking in systematic plan and thorough- 
ness, and under circumstances not permitting careful control 
of conditions. 
II. EQUIPMENT FOR INVESTIGATION. 
CURING-ROOMS. 
For the past three years at this Station we have been making 
a systematic study of the various conditions that affect loss of 
weight in cheese during the progress of curing. The special 
equipment in the way of cheese-curing rooms has given us 
unusual opportunities to carry on such study under well con- 
trolled conditions. We havea block of six distinct curing-rooms, 
separated from the outer walls of the building by a passage 
four feet wide. The rooms are farther insulated by double 
walls and air spaces on every side of each room. These roonis 
are 9 by 10 feet and about 8 feet high, and the wall space on 
three sides is provided with shelves 12 inches apart. 
CONTROL OF TEMPERATURE. 
The temperature and moisture in each room can be controlled 
independently of the other rooms. It is possible to obtain a 
range of temperature varying from 40 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit 
in every room. Each room is provided with a hot-air flue from 
below and a cold-air flue above, leading from the chamber in the 
attic, which contains ammonia expansion coils and brine tanks. 
These two flues, one for cold and one for hot air, are closed by 
