OUR DAIRIES.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 594, 24 March 1882, Page 2

OUR DAIRIES.

No. 10.—Mr Joseph Bates', at Wainui,

There are few nicer farms on the Peninsula than Mr Joseph Bates' compact little property of 230 acres at Wainui. It comprises most of the lower flat in the Bay, and is thickly grassed. There are some pretty pieces of bush, that are both ornamental and useful, making a pleasant shade for the cattle in hot days, while a number of great manukas at the back of the house promise a plentiful supply of firing for many years to come. The climate, too, seems peculiarly suitable for a dairy farm. Shclie-cd as it is, it is very cool in the summer time, and some of the most .boisterous of the westerly winds are not felt there. It is colder in winter and later in spring than Akaroa, but the sum-

mer is not only cooler, but the temperature is more even, sudden changes being far less frequent than on tho north side.

The buildings on the property are excellent. Mr Bates' house is most commodious and prettily situated. It is surrounded by small paddocks, well fenced. Two of these are used for gardens, and not only is the culinary part well attended to, but the ornamental also, for there were some well-grown flowers, as well as an abundant supp'y of vegetables ; there also are some well-grown white mulberries. The stockyard is on an eminence above the dairy. It is an excel'ent one, and very well kept. The cowshed contains eight bails, above which is a large loft, which, at the time of our reporter's visit, contained some seven tons of excellent hay, ready for winter use, The pigs are well cared for in a good paddock, in which they have an excellent run, plenty of water and shade, and a capital sty. The whey runs to the trough underground from the dairy. Amongst the pigs were some that looked of a real good sort.

Mr Bates has an excellent lot of cows, that have yielded and are yielding a good average quantity of cheese. He has 50 in the yards this year, and they have been giving 1501b of cheese a day, and, in addition to this, half the calves have been reared, and rearei on milk alone, for the plan pursued there is to give about two gallons of milk per day till the youngster is fit for weaning. The cows are now giving a little over 1001b a day, an excellent return at the end of the season, and clearly showing the quality and abundance of the. feed. The cattle are shorthorns, the bulls used being from Mr R. Fleming's herd. The dairy buildings are not large, but are well situated and fitted with good presses, vats, and all necessary apparatus. The water, however, is not laid on, and has to been carried, which is to a certain extent a disadvantage. Miss Isabella Bates makes the cheese, and deserves great credit for her good management. Everything is kept in capital order, and our reporter says, that the result of his experience so far, is, that the dairies that are supervised by ladies are neater and cleaner than those where men are solely employed.

The following is Miss Bates's system of making the cheese:—The evening's milk is some of it set in pans and the rest in a vat. The milk in the pans is put in the vat in the morning, just as il is, no heat being used to soften the cream. In ordinary weather the milk is set at 80dg, but on cold mornings the temperature is sometimes raised to 82dg. Rennet made on the farm is generally used; but Hansens extract is also utilised at times. When the milk is G7dg or over no sour whey is used, but when it is under 67 a little sour whey is added. The curd is generally in a fit state in about three-quarters of an hour, when it is broken up fine with a wire curd-cutter, that cuts it as clean as a knife without bruising at all. No knife is used or required, the wire of the beater being exceedingly fine and sharp. When the curd has settled, some of the whey is taken off and heated, and the whole mass brought to a temperature of 80Jg. After resting another quarter of an hour it is brought to lOOdg, by means of heated whey, and is then stirred up till a certain degree of consistency is attained, which denotes it is fit to leave. Part of the whey is then drawn off, and after a rest of half an hour the curd is heaped in the centre of the vat and the whey run off. The curd is then pressed gently till nearly dry, when it is put through the mill once only, salted, and cooled down to 65dg, or as near as possible. It is then put in the chessetts, of which there are two sizes, some being 561bsand the other 25lbs. It is then stored in a very excellent cheese room, where it seems to be exceedingly well kept. The cheese look very well indeed, not bein<r too straight, which shows sourness, or too much raised at the top, which shows that it is either too sweet or that there is too much whey in it.

It is almost ridiculous for us to say anything about Mr Bates's hospitality. It is well known that all visiting him are received with open arms, and that during their visit he does all he can to make them as comfortable as possible, nevertheless our reporter wishes to return thanks for his courte y.