ON MAKING CHEESE.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 228, 27 December 1859, Page 3

ON MAKING CHEESE.

■-"■■'■'.■ (From the 'Gardener's Chonide ) One of the most important papers in the current number of the Highland Society's Transactions contains a report by Mr; Fulton, of Temple Mary hill, near Glasgow, on the best mode of making Dunlop and Cheddar cheese. It appears that notwithstanding Dunlop cheese is, according to the analyses hitherto published, one of the richest descriptions manufactured, it sells for less ■ per ton than many other sorts. In 1858, while the farmers' price for Dunlnp was only £48 to per ion, that obtained for Cheddar by Mr.'Harding, Msirkbury, at the same time was nearly £80 per ton. It is plain that the Highland Society were .right in seeking for a report on the differences of process which lead to such differences of result. For it is clearly ascertained that the quality of the cheese is determined almost entirely by the mode of manufacture, not, as hitherto been imagined, almost entirely by the quality of the pasture. Mr. Fulton accordingly, undertakes in this report to describe the .Dunlop. and Cheddar/.processes respectively. In the former, in large dairies, a cheese is made morning and evening ; the rennet, a'large quantity, enough to effect tli« process of coagulation in a quarter of an hour, is added to the newly-drawn milk, aven less, time than that named is allowed for coagulation in some dairies. " When the coagulum is ready for breaking up for the separation of the whey— a condition indicated by a certain firmness to the hand, and the appearance of greenish whey on a little part part being broken— it is cut across, from top to bottom, with a long-bladed knife, so as to leave it in pieces of about two inches square, and left for, about two minutes. It is-then more minutely broken up with the dairymaid's hands, or by stirring it very gently and carefully from top to bottom with the skimming, dish.

" The breaking up being finished, a few minutes are again allowed to admit ol" a settling down of the curd. The dairymaid and her assistants then place themselves besides the tub, and, immersing their bared arms into the mass, assist by genile pressure the separation of the whey and subsidence of the card, which experienced hands do in a dexterous and efficient manner, putting down the curd evenly and firmly to the bottom of the tub."

After lading1 out the whey "the curd is to the dreeper—a utensil in shape exactly like a cheese-vat, only of larger diameter and a greater number of holes. 1 ' It there receives eight successive cuttings and changes to effect the discharge of the whey, these being given at intervals of about five minutes. The last cuttings are given great detail, or they are effected by the curd milk. "When the milk is steeped at night, the curd, after receiving three or four cutting, is left in the dreeper till morning, when at an early hour the pro-. cess is resumed."

Salt is then sprinkled over the curd, one, oz. to evary three lbs. curd, and the card is then put in the vat, and a slight pressure given while the whole is warmed before the fire. A succession or changes at, intervals of every two or three hours from cloth and vat into fresh cloths and vars under pressure then ensues for some 24 hours or more, and then the cheese is removed to the cheese-room and turned daily lor a fortnight.

An acid re-action has set in the milk hefore the rennet is added—if not, then sour whey is added for the purpose; a weaker rennet and less of it is used so as to make the coagulation last over an hour or more ; coloring matter —annatto —is used; the curd after breaking is scalded with hot whey; there is much less frequent cutting and breaking of the curJ when once it is fit for placing in a vat. " When the card is made up into a cheese —a stage usually reached by two, or from two to three o clock—it is put into the press and there remains until morning. "Pressure is gradually applied; no weight is put on the lever for the first half-. hour; a light weight is then hung on, raid at seven o'clock full pressure applied, >Text morning, after the milking and sluing- of the milk are over, the cheese is ehanm-d, and very heavy pressure applied for 24 hours. On the following morning a neatly fitted slip of white calico, is put on \\ie cheese to smooth the surface, moderate pressure being applied, and in the evening it is ready for the cheese-room. "When withdrawn■■ from the press, the cheese is laced into a piece of stout linen or cotton cloth called a fillet or stay, which is, 'kept on until ;lhe cheese is read^y for sale or has become quite firm."

An instrument has just teen iutiwiuoiid in London which promises to be of great value as a fire alarm in warehouses, docks, vessels, and public establishments generally as well as in private houses. It consists simply of an air-tight cylinder, with n. in-dia-rubber top. which, in proj o 'uon us the confined air becomes heated, expands and pressea a spring which;, at any given elevation, ot tempejatwe. . W ',H set i'ree a common, alarum, or $$$> a pistol or cannon, It. is, likewise .er y e o f being adapted toM'njv W%V and every place where *■* tuition is requisite, bince the •CVTns ado" sooting an alarum, .can l? P"m£te to act upon a aperture for adA tvfe principle seems likely to be applied ?oa nSer P of important , commercial ÜBMr, Warner G y selman v an.. einW.

bavin* been attracted hither by the mcc - SJ The British Association, attended at Bal--sSnl tart week, b, oomniaDd oher Maesty, and received orders to paint a \«w of & <W*S W*> IWW#?H |C^W^