Apiti Cheese Factory.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 136, 8 December 1896, Page 2

Apiti Cheese Factory.

(By Our Birmingham Correspondent.) It bus bet n my intention to pay a virti. to the Apiti Cheese Factory for some time past. I did so recently and found the manager, Mr Jas. Brownlee, at his post working hard, the perspiration rolling from his face in streams, and no wonder with the exertion, and tho temperature of the room being 75 degrees. Mr Brownlee is a young man, having learned h.9 business at Stirling, Otago, as a pupil under Mr Wm. Sawers, oue ot tho lea,ding men in tbe colony at cheese making. For market there are three sizes of cheese made at the Apiti factory, HOlbs weight being found best for the London market, 40 and 121bs weight best for local consumption. Last season was the first of the Company's existence, aud tbe output amounted to 30 tons of which 21 tons were shipped Home, and tho other G tons sold locally. The cheese shipped Home brought the top price on the Loudon market, but unfortunately just then the prices were ruling low, 44s per cwt. This year the whole output has been sold to a buyer in tbe colony. The price is fixed, so whether the markets rule high or low the Company know what tliey will get. An offer was made by a Home firm to take tbe whole ont put but the company declined. This is a proof that the cheese made a favorable impression, and that it is of good quality is shown by the fact that there were six entries at the Palmerston Show, the Apiti Factory getting 2nd prize. The cheese exhibited was not specially made bnt just taken out of the stock. This is creditable indeed. The building stands in a good position, bas a fine appearance, costing about £1200 Tbe curing room is 50 x 35ft with two patent ventilators in the roof. The cheese is made in an adjoining room not qnite tbo same size as the curing room, being 35 x 25. The engine room 16 x 18. The water is supplied by a good well. At first ono thinks tbe building rather large, but the manager assured me it is not so. Tbe engine is 4J horse power, and the boiler (8 horse) were both manufactured by Robertson aud Co. of Wellington. The utmost cleanliness was apparent everywhere, not a spot or blemish to be seen, a circumstance which was specially noticed by the Premier when he and Mrs Seddon visited the factory a few weeks ago. Mr Nix is tbe Managing Director, and besides beiug a large supplier of milk, takes a keen interest in all that concerns tbe present and future success of the enterprise. Last year tbe milk suppliers were paid 2Ad per gallon. This did not work satisfactorily. This year the Company pays by test, two pence half penny for a 2 5 test, but only one supplier has gone so high. It generally is 84. Under the first system there was no inducement for a man to try and improve the quality of bis cows. On tbe whole the present system is the best. The manager expects tbat the quantity will increase this year. The present supply is five hundred gallons daily, which will probably in; crease to seven hundred. The factory is quite capable of putting through twelve hundred gallons daily. Any supplier can get his groceries from the factory at wholesale prices. A cheese factory is like any other business not to be made in a day. Through long days and years of anxious toil it has to be followed, through stress and storm it must be faithfully watched and then success must come, which will be beneficial to the supplier and company. To show what can bo done, ono supplier took _£17 per month last year, and another as high as £22 besides stores. It would be on advisable thing for suppliers to get Babcock testers. The results of these tests are, of course, scientifically accurate and thf. farmers are not only Do'ginuing* to understand them, but to profit by tbem, as they are thus enabled to cull tbe weedy fat produciag cows and replace them with better breeds. Much of the success cf the dairying industry depends upon the dairy herd, for it ia much easier to koep fifty good milkers than twice as many of an inferior sort. I understand Mr G. Reviugtou Jones, of Taonui, is agent fori'ffi^se |esters. -'Tfyorejs ho doubt in njy tuind tl^jj tbe i#il£ industry lq thp pear future, is going' to be one of New _£ealaisd's great; test wealth 'Industries; Tp sLiovy YQiif readers what jt ti^s? bocqme iv $ gjejgljbouring colony -Jn tfte >ear 189 f the f alub qf : fac.gjty .'butter. *l°ue exported, from Yiutgri^ ufc* oue -ujUiim pound*,] '■■■U'lrr)i"%-'i(-).. ">'■■'