THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, August 30, 1849. DAIRY FARMING.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 18, 30 August 1849, Page 1

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, August 30, 1849. DAIRY FARMING.

[Continued from our last.] In resuming the details of dairy husbandry, we would fain hope that our native readers have directed an inquiring spirit cf attention to the papeis already presented on that most important subject- Dairy farming must undoubtedly li'vome one of tlie most profitable sources toT\vhieli the industry of the native, or the colonist, of New Zealand can he directed. Country, climate, abundance of easily convertible pastoral laiuls, extiaustless supplies of brooks and springs of the purest water ; —these confer upon New Zealand a natural superiority for dairy husbandry sm-'li as the neighbour colonies cannot command, not even by the most expensive and laborious system of irrigation. We repeat, therefore, that wc nrc most anxious to see the native mind directed towards so valuable a branch of rural iu-

flustry. TJieir intelligence lias been clearly nnd practically evinced l)y their > diligence in raising and vending wheat, • innize, potatoes, pigs, &i\ They have 1 demonstrated the value tliey attach to the arts of civilization by investing their 1 money in the erection of Hour inilis, the purchase of sinntl coasting vessels, nnil in a variety of similar prudential ways. They have given proof of their ingenuity and application by acquiring a knowledge of tlio mechanical trades of the European, and we feel convinced they have only to learn how much money may bo made, and liow much their lands may be improved, by dairy husbandry to give their eager attention in order tc master its simple hut valuable details. Njt maup numbers back we expressed a confident opinion that Neiv Zealand would profit largely by the recent discoveries of gold and the consequent stream of population (locking to California. Already our predictions are in part verified, since we have a vessel, returned from that quarter, now lying in the port of Auckland, where slie is loading with Now Zealand timber, potatoes, ami other produce. Much Caiiforuiau gold nay be exchanged for provisions—and no description of provisions are inoro likely to be, and to continue, in demand than those of the dairy. Butler, cheese, eggs, bacon, lard, salted pork—all these are essential to an Englishman's enjoyments—and these were, very recently, comparatively unknown to the Indian or Spanish Colonial population of California. The gold hunters have neither time nor inclination to devote to the production of such articles, but they ha»e lie means of paying for them, and at liberal prices tuo. liven were California settled down, and the gol I fever abate.), it does not appear to be a region adapted for dairy purposes, nor (as it seems to us) does there'exist any pla;e from whence supplies can be more surely or more expeditiously obtained than from these island's. Some individuals may feel inclined to say, look to the Columbia River and adjacent territory of the Oregon they are more contiguous to San Francisco than either Auckland or Fort Nicholson; aad there there are settlers both industrious and enterprizing, and fully capable of turning their fertile lands to the most beneficial account, and of profitting by the demands which the increasing mass of Californiau population will create. This is all true to a certain extent: but beside? that many of the Oregon settlers will flit to California, the dangers and the difficulties of the navigation of the Columbia River, and the frequent and long detention experienced by vessel (.1 month and more occasionally elapsing) pre they can venture to cross the perilous bar at iti entrance, are obstructions to trade such as niav be apt to render the more 1 emote traffic with New Zealand scarce less expeditious and much more practicable. With respect to Dairy Farming 011 the Columbia, a brief extract from the üb'o and interesting volumes of s»ir George Simpson, Go-veruor-in-Chief of the Hudson's Bay Compam's Territories, will suffice to shew how little New Zealand would have to apprehend front competition in that direction. " 011 reaching the mouth of the Willamet'r, (writes Sir George) on the le't side of the Columbia, we ascended the slie.im, til» after rounding A'lu.tononiah or Wi'.ppatoo Island, we were retracing our s eps to the main river by the channel of its tributary. Our obj "ct in thus deviating from our proper course was to call at the Company's dairy: and accordingly, alter following the current of the

west branch of the Willamette for about i live miles, we landed on the delta-in )

question, in flio neighbourhood of our establishment. " This beautiful island is fifteen miles in length by seven at its greatest breadth, covered with abundance of timber and tlie richest pasturage ; and it doujtless owes much of its fertility to the fact, tlmt it is regularly overflowed 'I 1 spring, villi the exception of its higher iidges,on one of which our dairies stand. It consists entirely of alluvial soil, formed most probably by the accumulation of mud .and drift-wood against a rook at its lower extremity. ■'At the dairy, wo found about a hundred milch eows which were said to yield, on an average, notmore than sixty pounds of butter each in a year." This is but a sorry return from cnttle browsing on tlie--richest pasturage." Whether the result be occasioned by bad husbandry or is to be attributed to an inferior breed of kine wo arc unable even to guess ; but we feel perfectly confident that, with ihe commonest care, a very Hindi larger quantity would be produced even in the inferior lands of New Zealnnd. At all events, dairy farming is a pursuit eminently deserving the earnest attention of every farmer, whether Native or English, who may rest assured that for llwir yellow butter California will gladly yield her yellow gold. In our last number we had got the length of churning the butter ; —we shall now proceed to furnish a few suggestions with respect to its salting. The salting of butter is an important part of a dairy system, 'l'ho quantity of salt to he used in curing materially depends on the manner in which the butter is to be disposed of: if for home consumption or present use, one-fourth less salt than that which is designed for a foreign market will answer; hut, at all events, a trifling over quantity is better than a stinted share iu either case. However singular it may appear, butter produced from the milk of cows fed 011 green food will require a greater portion of salt than from cows fed on pasture land. This circumstance may, iu all probability, be owing to the great quantity of juices contained in the green food; and, it may be further remarked, that butter obtained from cows fed on swampy lands will take more salt than if fed on dry pasture. The average quantity of salt for curing butter may be estimated at one ounce to every sixteen ounces of'mtter. It should be line salt, and mixed as evenly as possible throughout the mass, so that the whole may be fairly impregnated ; for if any of tlie particles remain imsa'ted, it will he a great error, and easily distinguished by the sight and taste ; because the unsaltcd particles will lie'of a whitish colour, and the taste sour and disagreeable: this may in a great measure be prevented by mixing a small quantity of saltpetre finely powdered with the common sa't, which, by its activity or penetrating quality, will enter the pores and blend with the particles ; besides, it will add to the colour very much, especially in the winter season, when butter is generally pale. Being thus cured, and prepared with every possib'e care and circumspection, the vessels or lirkins which are to be filled for the market require a great share of caution, as regards cleanliness, It is well known that they will impart a taint to butter, even though they may be tolerably clean. This is evident from the outside or surface of a mass of butter taken from a vessel being always more or less distempered which the greatest care should be taken to prevent, by first steeping the vessels in running water, then by scouring and scalding them with salt and water boiling hot, and kept closely covered until the water coo's, then leave them out in the air until going to fill them, when, if rubbed well inside with a clean linen cloth and some finely powdered salt, to stop the pores of the wood, by this means butter will remain for many years in a great stale of purity and sweetness. The facilities of New Zealand for dairies and butter-making are such that, ■with but trilling exertion, this great article of commerce might he produced to an extent and of a quality infinitely superior to that of the rival colonies from which she at present largely imports it. Why should not the natives of this fine country enter the lists and endeavour to outstrip

tliodo foreigners, when Providence lias so unsparingly scattered advantages paramount to those of every rival!' New Zealand is every way susceptible of enjoying a large share of commerce ; and by an export of her own productions to enrich and support her population according to I their respective pursuits—thus to fulfill he intentions of a plastic author, whose benefits are only withheld by ignorance and want of cnterprize in those speculations which have distinguished countries of lesser capacity. ( To be continued in the next.)