+125. Draining.+--A cloth is spread over a draining rack and the contents of one "shot-gun" can poured upon the cloth with as little breaking as possible. In this way a large surface is exposed. The room must be kept wet to prevent the surface of the curd drying to form crusts which stop draining. A temperature of 60° F. is favorable to the maintenance of proper texture and humidity without the development of objectionable organisms, especially _Oidium lactis_, which tends to cover every exposed surface in such rooms. Draining may be hastened by turning the curd or changing the position of the cloth. In factory practice, the large draining surface reduces the necessity of handling the curd and reduces the loss of fat. About twelve hours are required upon the draining racks. On a small scale with a few cans of curd in the home, any form of draining rack may be used, such as a potato or berry crate, or the corners of the cloth may be brought together, tied and the mass hung up. The curd must be turned by pulling up the corners of the cloth to prevent drying at the edges and stoppage of draining from the center of the mass. Such treatment produces much more rapid drainage than the factory practice and involves proportionately more labor and larger fat losses. +126. Cooling Neufchâtel.+--When whey ceases to separate readily, the corners of the cloth are loosed from the rack, folded diagonally or tied, and the curd cooled on ice or in refrigerators. When thoroughly chilled the bags of curd are put into presses, where light but increasing pressure forces more whey out of the mass. Tests at this time should show about 0.60 per cent acid in the whey. With low-fat curd every step of the process may be hastened, but with high-fat care must be exercised to prevent loss of fat during pressing especially. Any pressing device permitting continuous pressure with ease of manipulation may be used. +127. Pressing.+--The ideals of the maker must determine the extent of pressing. A high yield is obtained by leaving whey in the curd. If immediate consumption is certain, such cheese may be satisfactory, but if the cheese is to be held some days the extra whey carrying more milk-sugar favors increased acid development. This produces very sour cheese with much more danger of other fermentations which cause objectionable flavor. Too much water favors more active bacterial growth as well as produces cheese too soft for the necessary handling in the market.