LECTURE BY MRS. M. ROBBINS TO CHEESEMAKERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2161, 25 July 1895, Page 5

LECTURE BY MR S. M. ROBBINS TO CHEESEMAKERS.

The following papsr was reaA by Mr Robbina on Thursday, the 11th : — The occupation of oheesemakers ia a very important one — one that requires groat attention particularly to small things or mere details. Managers of cheese factories should have everything in perfect order before starting for the season. Spend as much time as will put everything in perfect order, whether it takes one week or one month. Have a olaca for all your utensils, so when you require them you will know where to find them at the- shortest notice We look to the managers of the cheese and butter factories for the future development of the dairy industry, and your responsibility in the matter is second to none. It also resba with you to suggest anything thab will improve the quality of the material. The cleanliuees of the outside of tho factory is a very important thing. There should be no open drains about, as they are very partial to ». animal life. It will cosb you a great deal of trouble and difficulty if you have open drains, as the gertna that breed there are liable to float into the factory and mix with the milk. Managers can't be too particular about the milk they recsivo. Take a very firm stand, and don't take any milk tbat is not fit for use. Try and suggest a remedy, if possib'e, a^ a cause of a great deal of trouble is through the suppliers having en insufficient knowledge ot the care and production of milk, and a great dstil of trouble will arise from stagnant water, and alto through the cows not getting enough water to drink. Try and persundo tha suppliers to keep plenty of ealb in their paddocks. Cows supplied with ealt will give a better quality of milk and also more of it. Advocate the aeration of milk, as this will help to do away with those objectionable odours caused by bad water and bush feed In two of our worst districts for timber on this island the thorough and combined use of aerators has reduced the trouble by fully 75 per cant. Compauies should buy aerabjra for the supplier?, and deduct the cost from their milk accounts. You will often find that the evening's milk coming ia in the morning is about the Same temperature as the at consequently ib is difficult t» tell if there are any objectionable odours present. Have a dipper of hot water handy, and heat a little to between I 80dcg and 90deg. By heating up in this way you und out its condition. Many suppliers fill | their cans full without aerating the milk, put on the lids tight, and stand them in a running stream to cool all night. This way h very injurious to the milk. Ib should be thoroughly aired as soon as drawn from the cow, the cacs filled only half full and covered with a broad board 6iu to lOin from the top of the can, S3 as to allow a free circulation of air. In the mornings they can be filled with the cold milk, leaving the empty ones for warm milk, which should be aerated, and can-covers left off till ready to start for the dairy factory. If milk has bepn properly aerated there is no need - cooling it unless it is very sultry weather. In receiving milk always look at the tins, and if anything is wrong don't be frightened to point ib out. Borne facto. iss have not gob proper accommodation for running off the whey. Causes are generally the drains being too small, and sometimes the mouth is higher than the end, also very small gates with no flyphoa or whey strainer. Insist on repairs being made if in tbis state. Sometimes the directors can't see why you can't get on the same as perhaps the man before you did. You must point out the advantages to be derived from the alterations you euggesb ; then if you fail ask permission to effect the change at your own expense, and you will find that it will not only pay you, but prove a valuable asset to you as a future recommendation both to your directors and the dairy instrucbors, and your directors after seeing the advantage will not hesitate to repay you. •In making tests for the ripeness of the milk or the butter fat you cannot be too accurate. Never add the rennet if yeu think there is a drop too much. Have the rennet ready so that you can add it to the milk as soon as ib comes out of the vat, bo as to give it no time for a change of temperature. The appliances of some of tho factories are not very good, especially the curd kuives. Quite 90 per cent, of the men are working with things that ought never to be used. Some of the knives are made of metal that is too thick, and they are alio not sharpened, so when you are making the last cut the curd Blips past the knife. Always have a 2in syphon ready unless your vats are provided with 3in gates, co that in a 600 gal vat you will b8 able to run it off in 4min to 6min. There is a great deal of carelessness done in pressing cheese. Cheese must be screwed up every quarter of an hour for a few days unles3-you have got the improved gauge presses. There is also a lever which can be inserted into the head of the old presses which does very good work. You can never expect a dose-cutting, good-textured cheese if the press is neglected. The Curd Mill.— The Harris mill is aboub tbe most scientific one made yet. A M'Pherson mill if kept in order will do good work. Nearly all the M'Pherson mills are driven too factW

consequently the curd is shaved about l-16in to £in instead of being cut to a thickness of £in te fin. The hopper of the mill is generally tco vide, consequently at each side it is dragged through instead of cutting it. The Poole mill will do good work, bnt it is no doubt slightly bard on the curd. In the manufacture of cheese at the opening in the spring you will have to watch the milk very carefully. The temperature for sitting that has given me the best results is 84deg milk to coagulate in from 25min to 35min. If making coloured cheese use about l£oz of colouring. In spriog cheese you can use as low ai 21b salt per 10001b milk. Cheese-making is set a process where rule of thumb is used. A« the season advances you can increase the her.t for setting up to 86deg, but there is nothing to be gained by 10 doing until about February. It is very much to be regretted the difference of opinion that exists between different cbeesexn&kers. Exchange your ideas with another, as it benefits you as well as him ; also the article that is turned out will be more even than before, so consequently will be better for the market, and anything that will tend to improve the market will be to \the advantage cf the industry, which must also be to your advantage.