The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-02-19

should be used And sure enough, when they pre-
pared medium that suited them and tried
certain of the thousands of bacteria upon 1t,
the mystery was solved.
Consider what this discovery means to the
American people We are habitual consumers of
such vast quantity of Swiss cheese to make
necessary the importation of 20,0OO0O0 pounds
of 1t in year. Why should not that demand be
met with homegrown products? A few years
ago it might have been argued that nothing was
comparable to the cheese made in Switzerland.
But not now. In fact, many Swiss cheese
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 good the imported
article, If not better.
AT present some 20.OOOO00 pounds of Swiss
cheese produced in this country annually.
Regrettaby, too much of it is of mediocre quality
But with the application of the methods perfect
ed by the dairy division which make it 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 will
be of high quality, and that the supply will be
adequate at least to satisfy the tastes of Ameri
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
finding that the Goals are hot, for they are
shrewd enough to perceive that now that Amer
jca can manufacture the finest grades of Swiss
cheese. Switzerland has real competitor in the
Swiss cheese making industry.
The quality of Swiss cheese from a commercial
standpoint Is graded by the size, number and
uniformity of the holes Cheese that has num-
Der of small holes holes at all is of inferior
grade. Pinholes are the result of the use of poor
grades of milk. improper handling, or lack OF cul-
lures. Some of these defects overcome by
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-
oped by the 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 Roquefort
"a cheese that grows better, the older it becomes.
1t is difficult to imagine that two rational hui
man beings would fight duel over piece OF
Roduefort cheese yet some family writings are
extant TO that effect However, these letters can
scarcely be regarded an accurate record, IN
asmuch as the author of them was a nimbie-
minded person more famed for his Inventive
genius than for his adherence to the truth.
Roouefort cheese, however, has been known for
20 centuries, and being considered the king OF
all cheese" during most of that time, it is within
the realm of possibility that not only one but sew
eral duels have been fought over it, Indeed, one
might find after sufficient search that several wars
have been waged in its behalf.
For centuries RoQuefort cheese has been made
from Sleeps milk by peasants of southern France.
and ripened In the famous caves of RoQuefort.
Within radius of 100 miles of 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 much as 90 pounds OF
cheese The cheese is manufactured on farms and
In small factories throughout the region, and then
sent to Roquefort to be cured in the caves Sew
eral firms here located and consolidated cOntroi
the worlds supply Of RoQuefort cheese.