HOW MILK IS HANDLED IN FACTORIES.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7245, 27 February 1889, Page 6

HOW MILK IS HANDLED IN FACTORIES.

An interesting account of one of theleading cheeae factories, the Lyon Brook Factory, New York, is given in an official report just issued byConsnl Booker, tan which it appears that it is situated In a rich fanning district in the Chenango Valley, abounding with pure water and good pastures. nroygnfi OF COWS USED. This factory is supplied by 300 cow owned by practical farmers of means and enterprise. The cows are principally Ayrsnires, Shorthorns, and Alderneys, with some Holsteins, Devons, and Jerseys; but the breed producing the largest amount of milk per bead is the Shorthorn of pure blood, and that giving the smallest is the Devon. METHODS OF STRAINING, etc. The method of milking, straining, cooling, and delivering milk at this factory is a point which has not been neglected by the managers, who persist in having pure clean milk at our factory, and require tin to be used in handling our milk throughout, while cloth strainers are extensively made use of. THB MILKING OP THE COWS is very regular, and so far as practicable, at the same hour at night. The cooling of the night's milk is a special feature, and as only one-fourth of the night's milk is received at the factory the remainder has to be cared for by the owners ofjthe cows, who o are required, to keep it at a temperature of 25deg. below animal heat. That which is taken at night at the factory is cooled to 75deg., and running water is left on the vat overnight; the next morning the cream is run through the strainer and thoroughly mixed in the milk. SYSTKM OF WORKING. In the morning the milk delivery Is very prompt, and by 7.30 it is in the factory and ready for use. After delivery the milk is thoroughly strained and kept well mixed till the vat is full. Then the mixing ana heating go on till the temperature is 84 deg.; the heat is shut off and the colouring put in, the milk being stirred for thirty-five minutes; after this, it is left for five minutes until the temperature is 84 deg., and the rennet is put in. From 5 to 8 oz. are put to each I,ooolb of milk, or enough to bring it to a proper consistency in thirty minutes, ready for the first cutting. When the curd is firm enough the curd-knife is applied, cutting the vat both ways as quickly as possible. The curd is now left for thirty minutes to harden and mature, then the heat is put on, and the curd is broken up with one arm from the bottom, and tbe last cutting is done, the temperature being 90 deg. Stirring with both hands follows, care being taken to raise the temperature scalding to 100 deg. When the temperature is 98 deg., heat is shut off and the curd rake is used for from ten to fifteen minutes, according to the state of the curd. RIPENING THB CURD. Now the curd is left for an hour and a half to ripen and develops, and when it has sufficient acid to admit of handling and making ready for the press, the water is turned on the vat and the curd is broken up, mixed through for five or six minutes, and about two thirds of the whey is drawn out. The whey is then stopped, and the card stirred, over two or three times, being exposed to the air for cooling and mixing. After due time the whey is all drawn off and the vat tipped up to drain, and this being completed, it is dipped into the curd sink for salting and further reducing. . ;• • ■ STARTINO THE WHEY. With regard to the time of "startingthe whey and dipping the curds," this depends upon circumstances to some extent, but the "senses of feeling, tasting, and smelling are greatly relied upon as guides in determining the acid of a curd, always taking into consideration the temperature and moisture of the day, and starting the whey when it is thought that the acid has developed sufficiently for dipping by the time the whey is out of. the vat." DtPprNG THE CURDS. The dipping of the curds'ia the principal feature of this method, and as it is claimed to make an even acid cheese it must be known when to dip out the curds. It is claimed that this is known by experience, "forit is the all In all, because in this make of cheese dipping must take place with less acid than in ordinary shipping goods,iand experience has taught that the eurcVelnk ts a sure relief for this feature of exactness." TEMPEBATURE. When the curd is taken from the vat its temperature is from 92 to 95 degrees on an average, and when put into the press, from 80 to 85 degrees. "After the whey has leached out to a good extent tbe salt is stirred In quickly, taking about 20 minutes in salting and cooling. Three pounds of salt are used on an average to I,ooolb. of milk. The curds are pressed for 18 boors, special attention being paid to the first hours of pressing." DRYING OF CHEESES. The cheeses when taken to the curingroom are*;ieft for an hour or two to dry off: they are greased then with hot whey oil on both sides and left for the day, repeating this tbe next day and as often as they require it. They must be turned every morning for thirty days, the benches being kept clean and the mould rubbed off the cheeses. TEMPEBATURE OF CURING-BOOH. Care is taken to keep the temperature of the curing-room very regular, The average time for curing is thirty-five days, taking the spring and fall seasons together. THE QUANTITY OP MILK used in this factory for 1886 was 2,915,3041b, Which made 312,9931b of cheese, taking 9*32 ib of milk to one of cheese. In 1885, 3,009.2881b of milk made 322,5751b of cheese, or 9*341b of milk to one of cheese. In 1864, 2,810,9731b of milk were required to make 294,5971b of cheese, or 9-541 b of milk for each pound of cheese. THE BEST CHEESE Is made in the St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties bordering on the river fatLawrence, and is shipped through Montreal and goes abroad as Canadian Cheese. GORGONZOLA CHEESE. Imitation Gorgonzola and Nenfchatel cheeses are made in some of the factories. To make Gorgonzola cheese the milk is set fresh from the cow, and at its 'normal temperature. If it has cooled it should be heated to 77 degrees, and sufficient rennet added to coagulate in 15 to 20 minutes. The curd must be allowed to become quite stiff, then it is cut fine and allowed to settle for a few minutes. The card is then gathered into linen strainers and hung up to drain off, the whey till the morning. It is put into the hoop, a bandage cloth being first spread In the hoop (a hoop 12 by 10 making a cheese of about 30 lb) in alternate layers, first of the evening, then of the morning, curd, till the hoop is filled. The morning curd should be moderately warm so as;to stick to the cold evening curd. MAKING AND HATCHING. After the hoops are filled they are left standing for five or six hours, when the churn is turned upside down, putting in a new bandage cloth; this Is repeated again daring tbe day. The cheese is removed next day from the hoop, the bandage cloth also being removed in the curing room,where a temperature of about 70 degs. is maintained. Dry salt is rubbed in the tops and sides for eight days, the cheeses, being turned daily. When the cheeses will take no more salt they are left in the curing room 20 or 30 days, being turned and wiped occasionally, then they are put in the curing cellar, which should be of equable cool temperature, and rubbed with; olive oIL This cheese, when properly made, will keep a year. It takes about 1001b of milk to make 121b of this Gorgonzola cheese, which is sold at from 6Jd to edperlb. CREAMERIES. or butter factories, are increasing in New York State. Separators were introduced about 10 years ago, and are universally adopted in tbe larger establishments. The cost of a butter factory or " creamery ** to take tbe milk of 500 cows is estimated at about £400, of which about £170 is for the building. PRICE OF MILK. Milk is purchased of farmers In some eases, and more frequently received from them under a co-operative system. When the milk is purchased of farmers its price is based Upon the highest price of dairy batter in New York. With the separator a pound of butter can be made from 22 to 23~pound8of milk from an ordinary herd. Skim milk is taken by the farmer at from sd. to ?sd. per 1001b. At one of the factories the price paid daring the year for milk was 4a. 3d. per 1001b. for four months; ss. TJd. for four months, and 7s. Id. for the remaining fonr months. RTBOQBP OF LABOS SAIBV. The record of a large dairy farmer {riven In tbta report Is very interesting. He says tha& hia dairy consists of MO ctwra, high grade and Utsarougbhred Jesseys, assdfrom two to ten years. The fltst year* of his farming were speat In raising

his dairy. He first bonghta-thoroughbred registered bull, and bred from the best cows he could get in the vicinity. AVERAGE YIELD. In tiie last season he made an averageof llbof butterirotn 19-fl7lb of milk in June ; from 17-431b of mitt in July: from 17561b in August: from 17-801b in September ; from 18-431b In October; aud 19481b in November. PROFITS. This deponentaaya that " the real queetionforthedairyman is thatof profits. I find that on my farm, if I depend upon hay for the principal ration, the balaene is against tne. I cannot raise hay to exceed one ton per acre, and it takes at least the produce of two acres to keep the cows through tiie seven winter months. It costs £7 Is 8d to keep-a cow for this time. In the past season my ensilage that took the place of hay has cost mc 19s 7d, including the interest on land ; the cost of grain was £4 7s6d, making the total cost of ing the cow for seven months, £5 7s Id." vamma^mmmmmammmm^mmmmmwm