THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1696, 27 October 1887, Page 4

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

"■■'■ We again revert to the consideration of the Report on the Dairy Industry m New Zealand presented to Parliament last session. In our previous article we commented on the remarks ot the writer on the great disparity m the prices obtained m Sydney for factory-made butter— that is butter made from separated cream — and *' the \ best New Zealand." Our readers will remember that the Report stated that . the former realised from 8d to is per pound more than the latter. It. must be borne m mind that tlv period re ferred to was an exceptional one, and that the next season saw a wonderful' change m the value of the article, which has ruled low ever since. The Report proceeds to make some observations on inferior makes of ' butter m the following style: — "The inferior class of butter is too frequently to be found, and is caused by ignorance of proper methods and carelessness on the part of many of the makers. It is no uncommon thing to find, even on fairly weli-appointed farms m other respects, the place used as a dairy a room m the dwelling-house, often next the kitchen, where such things as flour, sugar, and other articles of food, as well as tools of all kinds and seeds, are kept, besides being used as a workshop. Among some of the poorer settlers the milk-pans have been known to be set under the beds. Milk treated m this manner, exposed to all manner of odours and dust, cannot be expected to yield a high-class butter, as it is well known that nothing is more susceptible to a tainted atmosphere than milk, and the chances are that people who are careless m this manner will be quite as neglectful m the subsequent processes of churning and making up the butter." No truer words were ever spoken. This miserable slip-slop system of making butter has prevailed ever since New Zealand was first colonised, and there is almost as much difficulty m obtaining good butter now as there was thirty years ago. And what is more millions, of pounds sterling have been lost to the farmers through want of care and attention m .the dairy. Lecturers and writers on this subject are continually urging on dairymen the necessity for scrupulous cleanliness m all details connected with the handling ot milk — but all to no purpose, for it is just like throwing water on a duck's back, This, however, is just the point where the factories are likely to be more successful than the great majority of private and is one of the reasons that butter made m factories is of an tmiforn character — a feature which is most essential to success m this business. This is becoming so well recognised in' England, says the Report, that the following extract from the " Field," of the 22nd of January last, is worth quoting :— " That dairy interests should occupy a leading position m English agriculture is becoming generally recognised, as well as the fact that for some reason or other we are beaten m our own markets by the superior quality and greater uniformity of foreign produce. It is especially m this latter characteristic that our principal deficiency is most apparent. Factors cannot depend upon the make of butter from the same dairy, for example, being always alike; consequently they are driven to deal with the foreigner, who, by some means 1 or other, contrives to secure a uniform article. Now, we believe this is due to several causes : first, the greater attention paid to accuracy m minute details by the producer* secondly, possibly greater cleanliness m handling ; thirdly, to the fact that purveyors for the English market purchase the butter .from the makers and work it up m large quantities, and so attain a standard of excellence which thus far English makers have failed to imitate. The consequence is that many of the largest consumers, and especially hotels, use Normandy and Swedish butter m preference to English makes. Recently much ha,s been done to disseminate sound knowledge of scientific processes, and this is bearing fruit, and will do so increasingly. Butter factories Viave been started m different places, and the result h?s been decidedly encouraging. Two years ago we gave an example of a small entei prise m a Midland town which might encourage others to similar attempts, with great advantage both to the consumer and producer. In the case referred to, a firm of grocers, who had previously purchased the butter from their country customers, found such frequent complaints on the ground of variable quality that they determined to purchase the milk from their agricultural friends, establish a town dairy, and see if they could not produce an article of uniform * quality. So excellent is their make that they are able to charge ad per lb abpye tbs ordinary rates ; and so great is the demand for the separated milk thaj they are a.bl,e to, give a price for the milk that pays the farmer very ttiich more than when he was the manufacturer, It such a system became general we should succeed m obtaining uniform quality, and growers would, m the neighborhood of our large centres of population, not only be saved much domestic drudgery, but realise far better prices fpt their produce. We are glad to know that during the last year severs' new butter factories were started .'* different parts of England, w 1 -, a n} n indefatigable exertions of O ' m £ lhe are producing most v?' -JJo? on f B f «° l Ireland; so That we -^ble fru.t m hope that this St.'- -™y mint may shr>- , t ma on our , ma . na f " it may b V amoved, and that Home " c possible to obtain from a r . producers a quality of butter as .0 and constant as from foreign eources. There are other matters connected with the quality of milk that may affect the result; Food and water are most important considerations." Farmers will do well to bear this m mind, as well as the fact that they are throwing away yearly at least It requires no prophet to inform them that the time is rapidly coming when .they will have to rely almost exclusively on the produce of the dairy, and principally on tutter, for their livelihood. There is always a limitless market m London for butter of good quality, and for this good prices can always be obtained. Their scarce season most opportunely occurs at the time when butter m this colony is so plentiful as to be almost unsaleable. We do not, of course, imply that small farmers should themselves export, but if they produced a first-class, article they

would have no difficulty m finding purchasers for export. The produce merchants well know that it is useless to export butter of inferior quality, and if its production be persisted m, farmers will shortly have a very cheer- . less outlook. Heating's Powder destroys bothmoths, fleas beetles, and all other insects, while quite ( harmless to domestic animals. In exterminating beetl the euccesß of thie powder m extraordinary. It is perfectly clean m application. Sto the artiole you purohase is Eeating's, as imitations are noxiouß and m effectual. Sold m tins, 6d, Is, and 2s 6d each hv all ohemists