THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, October 25, 1849. DAIRY FARMING.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 23, 8 November 1849, Page 1

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, October 25, 1849. DAIRY FARMING.

CHEESE MAKING. [Concluded from our last."] The breaking and salting being thus completed, a cloth is spread over the checse-vat, the broken curd packed into it, < and covered tip with a cloth, a smooth ; round board is laid over this (usually i filled to the height of one inch over the | brim, to prevent the curd from shrinking below its sides when the whey is forced out of it) the whole is then put into a press for two hours, at the expiration of which the cheese is taken out, put into a vessel of hot whey for an hour or two, in order to harden its akin ; # on taking the cheese out of the whey, it is wiped dry, wrapped, when cool, in a clean dry cloth of a fine texture, and again subjected to the press for six or eight hours. The cheese is now turned a second time and taken to the salting-room, rubbed on each side with salt, after which it is wrapped iu another dry cloth of a finer texture tlian either of the previous ones, and again pressed for twelve or fourteen hours ; if any edges project they are to be pared off, and the cheese, being laid on a dry board, should , be turned every day. When cheese is taken from the press to the saltjig-room, it should be kept warm until it has sweat, or become pretty regularly dry and somewhat stilf, us it is warmth that ripens . cheese, improves its colour, and causes it . when t'ut, to have a (laky appearance, , the surest sign of an excellent quality.

As the process of salting nml drying is completed, the cheeses are deposited in (lie cheese-room or loft, which should lie airy anil dry ; but, on no account, ought hard and soft cheeses to be placed in the same room, as the dampness arising from the latter will cause the hard cheeses to chill, become thick coated, and often

[spotted. Throughout the whole process of cheese-making the greatest attention will be requisite; tor if the whey he imperfectly expressed, the rennet impure, or the cheeje not suffi.iently salted, it will i become rnnk and pungent- For this de feet there is no cure. The imperfect separation of the whey will also cause cheese to heave or swell, as well as run out at the sides: in order to prevent or stop this hcrtving, the cheese must be left in a moderately cool and dry place, and be turned regularly every day. If the heaving be very considerable, it must be pricked on both sides in several places, particularly where it is most elevated, by thrusting a skewer into it; by this means thuugli the heaving will not be altogethe prevented, a passage will be given to the < onfined air. the heaving or swelling being thereby much reduced, and the cavities rendered less offensive to the eye. Another remedy for heaving in cheese consist! in applying a composition of nitre and boll armenic, which is so'd in the shops under the name of cheese powder; it is prepared by mixing one pound of saltpetre with half an ounce of boll nrinenie thoroughly together an I reducing ti'em to a v.-ry fine powder; about a quarter of an jiuice of this is to be rubbed on a cheese »-'ien put a second and third time into the press—half on each side, at two different limes, before the salt is rubbed on—that the cheese may be penet'ated with it. This preparation is very

binding, anil sometimes proves serviceable ; but the nine is apt to impart an aci I taste, anil if too miu-li bo applied, and the cheese exposed to ton great beat, the qinnlity of- air air sidy confined in it will-be increased by fermentation ami the cheese swell much more than if no powder bad been rubbed into it. The greatest care, therefore, will be necessary whenever this remedy is adopted. - Such is the general method of making cheese. There are, indeed, many modifications of that invaluable branch of rural ind.istrv, not only in the several counties of England, but likewise in the varicus countries of Europe famed for llio excellence of it manufacture ; the lending principles of the production are, however, the same in all, and we entertain a sanguh.e and a well-grounded hope that butler and cheese will, ere many years elapse, become a Icitil; means of reclaiming the wastes and enriching the coffers o. New Zealand. With respect to butter, it would be impossible f r the dairies of any quarter of the globe to surpass in colour, texture, or general excellence the butter of Mew Zealand. We have seen, with inur.itc pleasure, several samples of potted butter from the pastures of Port Cooper which, for purity of quality and delicacy of flavour, might compete with the choicest dairies of Jersey and Guernsey. \Ve have also seen, and have partaken with the keenest relish, several specimens of Poit Cooper cheese. These were of a quality calculated to do every credit to the producer, and to afford every satisfaction to the consumer. Wby the maiitilueture of both articles shou'd iiot be largely, profitably and generally followed we can only attribute to the infant state of our comnvmity, the extravagant rate of wages paid for European labour, and to the fact, that you, our native friends and brothers ha e never, hitherto, been led toconsiih r the importance of dairy farming, tos'hool your minds to acquire tke knowledge of it as an art, the perseverance to mtuter its simple details. . As wheat, maize, pntatoe, and other cultivators you are indefatigable. You are fullv sensible of the imporianco and the riches to be derived from the possession of flour mills, You know the gain to be realised by boats and shipping, and you possess strong intuitive perceptions of the benefits which commerce confers. We honour you for these indications of sound practical sense, and it is because of the aptitude and the facility with which you have directed your thoughts and bent your energies to the accomplishment of objects of agricultural and commercial industry that wc have devoted so much time aii'i space to present a new branch of natural wealth to your imagination, and to urge you to adopt a system which will largely increase >our means of food, ami enable you to amass riches equal if not superior to those to be acquired by the wheat-field or the ilonrniill.

You may say, perhaps, that ihe detai s and descriptions of cheese and buttermaking are 100 numerous ami too complicated for your comprehension. Wo not imagine any such folly. Had you still lieen in ignorance of the mechanism of flour mills, and had we written advising you lo procure them, our description ol their machinery must ha«e been far more difficult to understand than the simple instructions we have prepared to show how you may become rich and your country prosperous by an extensive and wellmanagetl system of Dairy Husbandry. You never could have accomplished the erection nor have learned the management of a mil' without the aid and the instruction of the Europeans. You purchased from them the knowledge requisite for that branch of industry, and if you can but once perceive how advantageous dairy farming will prove to yourselves and your fancies -flow much and what wholesome food it will place at your command,—how greatly it will tend to increase and multiply and fatten your pigs —how it will improve your land—how it will enable you to make money to buy liorgcs, cattle, clothes, and all t!ie comforts and enjoyments of life ;—if you will only pon er these thii.gs, and purchase the assistance of the Europeans so thalihuy may instruct vou in the manner of their purs it we feel conviw wl that you will not tale to benefit by the information we hesi-

have placed before you, but, whilst following out a new and certainsourceof wealth, give the world fresh cause to admire the surprising ability and intelligence of the natives of New Zealand.

* This process is termed scalding; it is of considerable advantage to cheese which is sent to a distance by sea : but where destined for immediate country trade, it is advisable to omit the scalding which not unfrequently renders cheese tough and horny coated.