The whey looks white and rich, and is really so; but it is claimed, that there is not as much waste as is caused by keeping the curd in the whey and stirring it, when the butter and cheese that escape are so diluted as not to be noticed.
When the whey draining from the curd has a decided sour-milk taste, the accumulation is removed, the curd mill is set on the end of the vat, and the large square pieces of curd thrown into the hopper and run through. The mill tears them into pieces varying in size from that of a kernel of corn to a butternut. When ground, two pounds and an eighth of salt are sprinkled over the curd and stirred in. (Considering the dry state of curd, this is really heavy salting--heavier than three pounds thrown on the dripping curd, in the usual manner.) The salting done, the curd is allowed to stand, with occasional stirring, as long as convenient--indeed, the longer the better. It will take no harm after being salted; and if a curd is at all tainted, or is made of sour-milk, and is rather soft, it should be allowed to stand as long as possible, and permit the hands to get it to press and ready to bandage the same afternoon or evening.
This is the simple process, as we saw it at Spring Creek factory. The pressing and curing are not essentially different from the common methods. Thorough pressing, however, is considered essential; and so is an equable temperature in the drying room--which, by the way, Mr. MACADAM did not have the advantage of, as the building was erected on economical principles, with a very primitive but thorough system of ventilation--not under his direction or supervision, however.
With sour-milk, Mr. MACADAM hastens every stage of the process, up to the time of salting. When the requisite degree of acid is developed, even though the heat may not have gone above 90°, and the curd is very soft, the whey is drawn off, and the curd repeatedly cut into small squares with a knife, to facilitate the separation of the whey. The curd is ground, and the salt thrown on--in less quantity--when the whey that drains off has the proper sour milk taste. It is then allowed to stand in the vat, and drain and harden, as long as the work of the factory will permit. If it can remain a couple of days in the press, it is an advantage.