PACKING CHEESE.

Waipa Post, Volume IV, Issue 156, 22 October 1912, Page 4

PACKING CHEESE.

DAIRY COMMISIONERS SUGGESTIONS.

As a result of the remarks in the annual report of the Agricultural Department's Director of Dairy Produce in London, Mr D. Cuddie, Dairy Commissioner, has sent out a circular to cheese factories with the object of remedying some of the troubles which are most apparent. Referring to the fact that a considerable quantity Zealand cheese arrived on the Home market last season with soft ends, Mr Cuddie

says that sometimes both ends of each cheese were affected, but more frequently only one end of the crate. These defects were probably due to the following cruises: —The casing of the cheese when they were too green ; the use of case ends or centre boards of green timber, and the fitting of the cheese so tightly in the "cases as. to prevent the proper circulation of air between the end of the cheese and timber. In many instances it was found that the rind of the cheese was adhering to the wood, and when the cheese was removed from the cases a portion of the cheese was torn away.

Mr Cuddie points 'out that cheese-makers, in order to avoid a recurrance of this trouble, would do well to use only well-seasoned timber —particularly for the case ends and centre boards —and to make the cheese so that when placed in the case there would be about half an inch of space in each section of the crate. Providing all details in the handling of the cheese are observed, this space, when the cases of cheese are lying in the ship's hold, should be ample to* allow of a of a current of air circulating round each cheese. Timber intended for cases, which may be on the. green side, should be opened out and placed in extended stacks in a dry airy place and not used until thoroughly dry. The centre boards should be at least three-quarters of an inch thick, and double nailed to each batten.