The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-03-12
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should be used And sure enough, when they pre-
pared medium that suited them and trle1
certain one of the thousands of bacteria upon IL,
the mystery solved.
Consider what this discovery means TO Tue
American people. We are habitual consumers ol
such vast quantity of Swiss cheese as to make
necessary the importation OF 2o,VoooVo pouhus
of it in year. Why should not that demand De
met with homegrown products? few years
ago it might have been argued that nothing was
comparable to the cheese made in switzerland.
But not so In fact, many Swiss cheese eX-
perts have stated that the Swiss cheese now be-
ing manufactured at Grove City, Pa, under the
supervision of the dairy division OF the Depart
ment of Agriculture, is as good as the imported
article, if not better.
At present some 2O,OOO,000 pounds of Swiss
cheese are produced in this country annually
Regrettably, too much of it is OF mediocre qualty
But with the application Of the methods perfect
ed by the dairy division, which make 1t possible
to control the factors influencing ripening and
flavor, it is confidently felt that the day is not
far off when all of the domestic Swiss cheese VIII
be of high quality, and that the supply will be
adequate at least to satisfy the tastes Of Amerl-
cans who now prefer the imported article
Already two carloads of American-made Swiss
cheese have been exported to Switzerland-sent
right into the country where Swiss cheese max
ing has been the leading industry for more than
five centuries That is a real instance of carry
ing Goals to Newcastle. And the SWISS people
are finding that the Goals are hot, for they are
shrewd enough to perceive that now that Amer
lea can manufacture the finest grades OF Swlss
cheese Switzerland has a real competitor IN the
Swiss cheese making industry.
The quality of Swiss cheese from commerciai
standpoint is graded by the size, number ana
uniformity of the holes. Cheese that mas mum
Der of small holes or no holes at all IS OIL iiileioA
grade Pinholes are the result of the use of poor
grades of milk, improper handling, or lack Oh cur
lures Some of these defects are overcome Dy
the use of certain kinds Of bacteria Kept IN pure
culture particularly where the cheese IS gassy
or "niszler." The discovery of these bacteria was
first made in the laboratory of the dairy division.
The holes and flavor in Swiss cheese are devel-
onod nv tbe use of another culture an organism
also discovered by the dairy division experts
The Secret of Roquefort
Now consider what dairy division experts have
accomplished with another cheese, the hoqueiort
- cheese that grows better, the older it becomes
r. is difficult to imagine that two rational hui
man beings would fight duel over piece OF
Roouefort cheese, yet some family writings are
extant TO that effect. However, these letters can
scarcelv be regarded as an accurate record IN
asmuch as the author of them was nimble
minded person more famed for MS inventive
oanius than for his adherence to the truth
Ronuefort cheese however, has been known Tor
% centuries and being considered the king OF
al, cheese during most of that time, it is WITHIN
the realm of possibility that not only one but sew
org, duels have been fought over It, indeed, enc
might find after sufficient search that seVera1 wars
have been waged in its behalf.
Fo,. centuries Roquefort cheese has been made
from sheep's milk by peasants of southern France.
and rpened in the famous caves OF Roquefort.
within a radius of 100 miles ct Roquefort half
a million sheep are pastured for the purpose OF
milk production. During the one six-months' pc
Rod of lactation, some Of these sheep produce
enough milk to make as mucn as % pounus .,
ahaaso THE cheese is manufactured on farms and
=, small, factories throughout the region and then
sent to Roquefort to be cured in the caves. Sew,
era firms here located and consolidated contro
tho worlds supply Of Roquefort cheese.