CHEESE-MAKING in CANADA.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1644, 18 January 1883, Page 3

CHEESE-MAKING in CANADA.

I Probably not matiy Colonial dairy farmers are fully aware of the extent to which the factory system has been ap- ! plied to cheese-making jn Canada. The village of 'Lancaster, which has become celebrated for its chee&e, lies a little ! north of the St. Lawrence river, and near the eastern boundary of Ontario. Taking this village as a centre, there are within a radius of 35 miles eighty cheese factories, thirty-three of which arc the property of Mr 1). M. M'Pherson, who has become known as the "cheese king" of Canada. The Chicago National Live Stock Jowi'iicl publishes an account, of these factories, written by the wellknown authority on dairying, Mr C. B. Arnold. The factories owned bj' Mr M'Pherson are described as moderate sized, compact, and inexpensive, but durable structures, all ne.it and tidily kept. The number of cows supplying each factory ranges from 600 to 700, and the total daily make, al the time of Mr Arnold's visit, was 400 cheeses, averaging b'olb.s. each, all of which were of the best quality. Mr M'Pherson is an energetic student of the theory as well as the practice of cheese-making, and the mode of manufacture carried out in all his factories is as nearly uniform as possible. The cows supplying the milk are the pioperty oi numeious farmers, the hnd of the surrounding distiicts being well suited for dairy purposes, cleanliness and sweetness in the milk brought to the factories being insisted upon. An expert is employed, whose whole time is devoted to testing milk as it comes to the factories. Ho make his visits at irregular intervals, and carries with him the necessary appliances for detecting w-iter-ing, skimming, and other defects. The appliances of the factories, and the mode of carrying out the work arc the simplest, most economical, and effective that have up to the present time been devised. The milk is delivered once a day, and before receiving the rennet, is warmed to S4deg or SSrleg, according as it is more or less advanced to souring. The heating is all done by dry steam, by means of a single straight pipe beneath the tin vat holding the milk. The radiation of heat from the pipe against the vat above it is prevented by a boaid placed between the vat and the pipe, and jets of steam are discharged from holes in the side of the pipe, and so directed as to be diffused evenly against the bottom and sides of the vat, thus causing the milk to heat evenly and quickly, without first having to heat a body of water, as is the usual practice. This is clearly a great economy of heating power, and a consequent saving in the cost of pioduction, the steam being brought to bear directly upon the milk, without the employment of a medium. The same close regaid to economy and efficiency is apparent throughout Mr M'Pherson's whole system, down to the smallest detail. There is no prejudice in favour of old customs, but wherever an improvement appears to be possible it is at once carried out. This energetic cheese maker at first adopted the acid process, which consists in souring the curds before, sepaiating them from the whey. This was gradually abandoned in favour of a modification of the Cheddar system, drawing the whey early, or sweet, and allowing the curds to settle into a compact mass and to remain in such a condition till sufficiently matured. Having at rived at this stage. Mr M'Pherson was not satisfied with the result, and bringing his theoretical as well as practical knowledge to bear on the sabject, he decided in favour of ailing the cuids in a state of considerable fineness. Much importance is attached to the oxidising of the curds before pressing, and upon reflection, it i' o obvious that this cannot be effected so quickly or so completely when they arc lying in a solidly packed mass as in the Cheddar system, as by stirring and keeping them fine and grinding a loiiff time before piessing. By adopting this plan it is fonnd that a finer flavour and a richer quality, together w ith a greater yield, are obtained. All the manufactuimrr it, done in the vats wliich hold the milk, and there is not a curd sink in any of Mr M'Pherson's factories. This both saves the cost of the sinks and economises working room. "Theie was," Mr Arnold remarks, "a vein oi economy and convenience which I have seldom found elsewhere running through all the fixtures and piactices. His steamers, for instance, which have been recently put in, arc placed where the heat radiating from them can be utilised to warm the make rooms, and are easily accessible to manage, and are in every way convenient and efficient, and yet cheap." The system of book-keeping is as simple and complete as everything else about the establishments. Everytransaction, however small, is recorded in its appropriate place, and can be referred to at once. Not only every dollar received and paid out, but every lot of milk delivered at any factory, at any date of the season, can be turned to in less than a minute upon its being named. Tt is, indeed, very evident that Mr M'Pherson understands his business. High quality and uniformity of production, together with the greatest attainable economy, are the points that lie aims at, and he adapts his means to the desired end with admirable intelligence' 4 and skill. Now that our own dairy farmers^ are .taking some steps towards placing" their products in the Englisn markets, in competition with those of Canada, and the' United States, it is imperative that they should a.dopt the most efficient and economical system, and always be on the look out for any improvements, otherwise their chances of success are infinitesimal. It often happens most important resuits are attained byTthesimplest means, andMt'M'Phersb'n.'seemsto have exemplified this in a remarkable degree. In hip case there is ao cumbrous joint 'stock 1 system, and no employment of a large fixed capital, the thirty-threel factory buildings, and the apparatus contained in them, costing only about six thousand pounds. — Exchange. "■ *

Mr H. J. Paton, Hautapu, offers a reward for^the recovery of a strawberry cow. '< < Messrs Lewis' and Simpson advertise corn sacks, twine, &,c., ' ' Mr J. S. Buckla'iid will hold iiis annual ' .sale "tof horses on Saturday, at the National 1 Hotel, Cambridge, ' > .1 Messrs B. Tonks and Co., Auckland, have just landed Buckeye' reaper and. binder (string), Buckeye mower, Champion drill. , with fertilisqis attachment.,' ■\ \ \ "fl 'V ! . ' <' ' Mr John Knox will sell, on SaWrday, at his \mart,i Hamilton,''- valuables | household furniture, the property of Mrs Tidd. iA list, of < the .Articles appears, elsejVhbrif.O 'A '.V } „'ji.r n , Whecft Bhall I buy my funntutejnd,.—, c^rp^ts? You ( cannot do better tian Mrfhase' from Oarlick and Oarn^eHj^who 1 -h|ivV n'oW'a very large assortment of iron bedsteds, varying in price from 10s ,0d to Wt^n pounds,! and keep' in stock bedding of all sizes and kinds. 1 Their' large factory is completed; and machinery in full swing, enabling them ( ; to turn out {furniture ) quicker and' cheaper than hitherto. t G. & C. always have ready a largo variety of drawin and dining-room suite:!. Spjscial- attention", is paid 'to .bedroom ftfrniture,Qjiuitabl<s*jfb (ill ctaislst'i Great ,of,/ carpeU,'JKiddermlnßtorlfßru«spls, f Bru«spls, .and j tapojtn^from- Ss.Tßa.Bpr^yard.'