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 cheese centres. The original and well-known Edam cheese—i.e., that made in North Holland—still maintains its high reputation, as does also the old style of farmers' Gouda, made in South Holland. Alkmaar, Hoorn, Purmerend, Medemblik, and Enkhuizen, all possess cheese-markets.

Edam may naturally be selected as the cheese-market par excellence; hence a description of what is really a gay and picturesque scene is not out of place here. An odd sight it is to witness men garbed in white, and presenting the appearance of sailors from H.M.S. Pinafore, shuffle along carrying a hundredweight of cheese on trays suspended from their shoulders by leather yokes into the weigh-house, and, trotting back at the shuffle, deposit in the warehouse the shining, golden-coloured “cannon-balls” which have made Edam famous. Later, these cheeses will be