Pure Milk

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 19 November 1913, Page 4

Pure Milk

The first essential iv the manufacture of "choicest" luitter is a pure milk supply, for the most skilful butter maker cannot turn out a high-class product from secoud-c'ass material. One of the problems that have faced factory managers and directors is the ensuring of perfect cleanliness in tho handling of milk between tho cow and the factory. Something may be learned from Switzerland in this respect. A recent writer in the London Express described a visit to a Swiss dairying district whoso farms supply milk to tho Nestle factories. The practice there is for tho farmers to form themselves into village supply associations and deliver their milk twice a day to the village dairy, whence it is collected by the factory proprietors. Under such a system it might be thought that carelessness would flourish, for all the milk goes into the common can. Nevertheless it is this very system "which makes dirt in the dairy impossible. Each can has ihe nauie of the village upon it, and the quality is entered daily in N<-stlo's laboratory books at the lactones. It tho quality of thu milk from a particular village is deficient the president of the association is notified, and steps am at once taken tc find out whore tlie niilli comes fro.n which gives the village association a bad uamo- These associations have regulations, and if a breach is discovered the guilty farmor is suuimonod bel'oro tho general assembly of tho mouiburs to answer the charge made against him. If a farmor takes mdk to the dairy in an unclean vessel he is charged '60 centimes for a lirst offence, and double that if it is repeated within a month. If he skims his milk he is fiucd 10 francs (8s 4d). If he is found guilty of adultering his milk he may be lined 6U francs ; or ho may be suspended for three months ; or ho ma}' be expelled from the association ; or if tho adulteration has been made by a servant without the farmer's knowledge the latter is suspended until the servant is dismissed, in addition the Government may take action, and the punishment is cither a year's imprisonment or a line nut exceeding >.0()0 francs (about £Su). There are Government regulations respecting the cowsheds, wnich mil.-; have a temperature of 59 deg. to 64 (leg., must be well ventilated but not draughty, and le kept scrupulously clean. Probably, however, the most potent factor in securing a pure milk supply is the jealousy of the members of the association as to the reputation of their village supply. Only a word is required to the piesident, and a culprit is soon discovered and treated without any nieicy by his feilow-mem--1 hexs.