HINTS ON CHEESE-MAKING,
FOR THE
DAIRYMAN, THE FACTORYMAN,
AND THE MANUFACTURER.
BY T. D. CURTIS.
UTICA, N. Y.
ROBERTS, PRINTER, MORNING HERALD ESTABLISHMENT.
1870.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by
THOMAS DAY CURTIS,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Northern District of
New York.
INTRODUCTORY.
The following pages comprise the series of articles which appeared,
during the last season, in the columns of the UTICA MORNING and WEEKLY
HERALD. It is not claimed that they exhaust the several questions
discussed; but it is believed that they constitute the most practical
treatise on cheese-making that has yet appeared, and that they embrace
the leading features and indicate the more advanced methods of the art
as practiced by the best manufacturers. Every experienced cheese-maker
may find something in them to object to and criticise, as there is
diversity of opinion on many, as yet, not definitely settled questions.
The writer would not check honest and intelligent criticism, if he
could, but, on the contrary, encourage it. Nor would he have others
adopt any of the suggestions, methods or practices herein mentioned, if
they think they have better of their own. He would rather stimulate
independent thought and action, and urge each to observe closely,
experiment thoroughly, and be guided by his own experience. Beginners,
without a complete knowledge of all the branches of cheese-making, it is
believed, will be able to glean from these pages what will afford
valuable assistance to them; but they should accept nothing as
conclusive. There is much to be discovered and learned about
cheese-making. Those who have worked at the business for years, without
material progress, are not as likely to make important discoveries or
improvements as those who now or may hereafter come to a knowledge of
the subject with fresh minds and faculties newly stimulated. They will
begin where the old cheese-makers leave off, and ought to be able to
make advances in the work thus far developed by their predecessors. That
each may keep his wits about him and add something valuable to our
present stock of knowledge in regard to cheese-making, is the earnest
wish of
THE AUTHOR.
UTICA, January, 1870.
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
INTRODUCTORY, 5
BUILDING CHEESE FACTORIES, 9
PRODUCTION OF MILK, 14
COMPOSITION OF MILK, 18
TAINTS AND ODORS, 23
COOLING MILK, 27
DELIVERING MILK, 31
RECEIVING MILK, 36
BIG AVERAGES, 40
CONDUCTORS, STRAINERS, &C., 45
COLOR, 49
RENNETS, 55
PREPARING RENNET, 60
SETTING, 64
CUTTING CURDS, 68
HEAT, 73
ACID, 79
DIPPING CURDS, 84
SALTING CURDS, 87
TAINTED MILK, 91
CURING, 93
GREASING CHEESE, 95
SKIPPERS, 99
CHEDDAR PROCESS, 102
HINTS ON CHEESE-MAKING.
CHAPTER I.
BUILDING CHEESE-FACTORIES.
We frequently receive inquiries from parties who contemplate building
cheese-factories, regarding certain details which none but those who
have actual experience can readily carry out. For the benefit of all
needing such information, we have taken pains to prepare the following:
Small or medium-sized factories now seem to be in order. People do not
like to carry milk long distances, and this fact undoubtedly accounts
for the tendency to small factories, conveniently located. We will give
the size of a building suitable for a dairy of 300 to 500 cows. Let it
be 80 by 26 feet, with 16 feet posts and two floors. From one end of the
lower story take 24 feet for a make room, leaving the remainder for a
curing room. Should more than one vat be used, the make room will need
to be about six feet larger one way. It may be made so by taking the
space off from the curing room, or by putting a projection on the side.
The upper story will be used for curing, but should be partitioned off
the same as the lower story. The room over the make room should be
lathed and plastered, and provided with heating apparatus, so as to make
a suitable place for curing early and late made cheese. The building may
be cheap, or as expensive as desired.
Either setters and ranges, or the old style tables, may be used. The
latter, since small-sized cheeses have come in fashion, are the more
common. They are quite as cheap and convenient, and by using them,
factorymen avoid the annoyance consequent upon the pretended patent
right which is claimed on the rails and turners.
We shall not recommend any particular style of vat, since by doing so we
should seem to condemn others. But we will mention the fact that for
small factories, vats with self-heaters are preferable and the more
economical. A self-heater can be set up and run anywhere, with a piece
of stove-pipe to conduct off the smoke, and the expense of boilers,
mason-work, etc., is avoided. Five or six cords of maple stove-wood,
split fine and well seasoned, will run a good self-heater through the
season.
The appearance of a dairy depends very much on the trueness, as well as
uniformity in hight, of the cheeses. Good presses and hoops are
therefore essential, and save a great deal of trouble as well as give a
great deal of satisfaction. The press, therefore, needs to be made heavy
and strong, so as not to spring or warp. Let the sill be 14 by 4 inches;
the beam, 10 by 6 inches; posts, 4 by 14 inches, slanted from the sill
upward to 10, the width of the beam. The sill and beam should be boxed
into the posts three-fourths of an inch, and the posts should extend
above the beam some 4 inches or more. The top of the sill should stand
about 2 feet from the floor. The space between the sill and beam should
be 2 feet 4 inches. The lateral space allowed for each hoop should be 2
feet; and in each space between the hoops the sill and beam should be
held in place by seven-eighths inch rods of iron. In the first space
from either end, a single rod is sufficient; the next should have two
rods, and so on, alternately. The single rod should extend through the
middle of the sill and beam, and have heavy washers attached to each
end, to prevent the head or nut from settling into the wood. The double
rods should go through the edges of the beam and sill, and through heavy
washers of iron on the bottom of the sill, and through strong straps
extending across the top of the beam. The presses should be made for
pressing four or six cheeses, and be made of hard, seasoned timber. The
screws should be 1¾ inch. Of the various kinds of screws introduced, we
know of none better than the old-fashioned ones, with holes through them
to receive the bar.
The curd-sink is an important thing in a factory. Its construction is
always a matter of considerable speculation and perplexity. We will give
dimensions for one suitable for a factory of the size we have indicated.
It should be 16 feet long, 2 feet 10 inches in width inside, and 1 foot
deep. The bottom should be 1½ inch thick, and the sides 1 inch thick.
The legs should be 3 feet high, extending up the sides, so that the top
of the sink will be 3 feet from the floor. The sink should be made of
clear, seasoned pine, and the legs be well braced, with cross and side
pieces connecting them about 6 inches from the floor. Backs and a cloth
strainer may be used, or a false bottom with perforated tin strainers
may be substituted.
The proper hight of the weighing can, of the dumping window from the
ground, and the best apparatus for unloading, are generally matters
quite perplexing. The proper hight of the receiving can is that which
gives a gentle slope to the conductor, as too much current not only
causes the milk to slop over the sides of the strainer, but drives the
dirt through the strainer. With vats 3 feet 2 inches high, the platform
for the scales should be 3 feet 8 inches from the floor.
Of the many appliances used for unloading, none is simpler, cheaper or
more satisfactory than the crane. Make it of scantling 4 by 4 inches,
the upright 8 feet long, and the arm 7 feet. Hang it as you would a
barn-door. Fasten one end of a strong half or three-quarter inch rope to
the end of the arm; run it through a pully to which is attached the
tongs; then over a 4 inch pully above, near the end of the arm; run it
back over a similar pully next to the upright, then down to a 3 inch
roller, with a crank, at a convenient hight for turning. One end of the
crank must be sustained by a strong iron strap, bowing outward, in the
direction of the arm, to admit the roller (about 6 inches long)
lengthwise, and fastened to the upright above and below.
The window-sill should be not more than two or three inches above the
edge of the receiving-can, which should stand close to the window, just
clearing the sill. The road should be eighteen inches below the platform
on which stand the scales and weighing can. Then the can, when raised
just enough to clear the wagon-box and wheels, will be of the right
hight for dumping when swung round to the window. Many make the mistake
of getting the road too low, which causes the unnecessary work of
raising the milk 3 or 4 feet by hand before it can be dumped, and wastes
strength and time, both in raising the can and lowering it back again
into the wagon after it is emptied.
In building a factory, every provision should be made for cleanliness.
It should be located near a living spring of water, ranging in
temperature somewhere between 45° and 55°. There should be sufficient
water to fill, at all times, an inch pipe, and care should be taken to
secure a fair head--enough to carry the water above the vats, at least.
The water should be carried in pipes under the building, along by the
ends of the vats where it is wanted, with penstocks rising from the
pipe, to furnish water for each vat. The faucets in the penstocks should
be all of the same hight--if any difference is made, the one farthest
from the head might be a quarter or half an inch the lowest. Outside
should be a penstock, to carry off the superfluous water. The outlet to
this should be a few inches higher than the faucets in the penstocks for
supplying the vats with water. This is necessary to secure a flow of
water in the factory. In freezing weather, and during the winter, the
penstocks in the factory can be removed, until needed for use, and the
holes in the pipe beneath plugged up. An extra faucet in one of the
penstocks at the ends of the vats, inserted high enough from the floor
to set a pail under, will supply all the necessary water for cleaning
and other purposes.