FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 228, 25 March 1912, Page 7

FARM AND DAIRY.

ABOI'T CASEIN. Apropos of the .proposal of some of the dairy companies of Taranaki to go in for the manufacture of casein, a few - words about casein may Hot be uninteri esting. Whole milk contains approxi--1 mately 12% per cent, of solids, 4 per • cent, being fat, 5 per cent, sugar, and £ 3y 2 per cent, casein and albumen. In • butter factories all the fat is extracted; ■ in cheese factories the fat, casein and a 5 portion of the albumen is extracted. In > the manufacture of casein, under the old ® process, it was extracted by precipitat tion of sulphuric acid or some other mineral acid. The effect on whey could then be imagined. All that is now 1 changed. Now, after the casein has been extracted by the process employed ' by the Casein Company the resujtant liquid or whey is of a very high food, value, due to the fact that the sugar contents of the milk are left in practically intact; and further, an addition is made of a nitrogenous matter building up the whey to equal skim milk as a stoek food. The results obtained by farmers at Wangaehu, Okoia, and other places where the Wanganui Dairy Company has precipitation stations, have been more than satisfactory, and in one instance calves fed on casein whey brought top prices at the sale yards. This, of course, was only an isolated instance, but the general opinion is, so far, that casein whey is all that is claimed for it. After the initial process has been carried out at the creameries the green casein is taken into the central factory \ station, where the final process is gone ; through and it is then shipped to Europe, where its uses are manifold, Originally its use was confined to glaze as an admixture in cold water paints; then fo giue and similar purposes. It is now used for a hundred and one pur- . poses, and has found its way into the manufacture of all kinds of ivory and bone substitutes. Ladies' combs, pencil • cases, electric insulators, knife handles and many other similar articles are now made from casein basis. Non-in.flatn-mable cinematograph films, Kodak films, consume quantities of casein in their manufacture and beautifully polished piano keys are frequently nothing sut casein. It is used, too, in the manufacture of .paper and linens and inlthe' loading of silks, and has now become an important factor in these trades. The demand has steadily increased during, the last few years and large quantities are being manufa&tured in Siberia. Denmark, too, has always been a large contributor to the casein markets, but that couillfry still holds up its reputation for pig-breeding. Interviewed recently, a representative of the Casein Company remarked that the tendency of butter factory peoplp was to cast longing eyes at I the profits made by the cheese factories during the last couple of years. But the average taken over the last ten years will demonstrate that the difl'erecne in favor of cheese is not more than one penny per lb of butter-fat. Although the prices at the .present time average > more than one penny difference and the ' demaml for cheese is extremely good, i } sight must not be lost of the fact that ! the production of cheese is on the in-} crease, and it is quite within the reach of probability that the average price in favor of cheese factories for the next ten years will not be greater than the average lias been for the last ten. The price that is being offered at the present j time for casein is equivalent to l%d per lb of butter-fat above the price paid for butter, or equivalent to 25s to 28s per cow per season. In addition to this, the supplier has the advantage of being able to take home skim milk or whey milk ns fancy takes him. A factory is now in course of erection at Aramolio, and will be in running order next season. In the meantime a small factory is in operation at Wangaehu and has attracted considerable interest. Visitors from Auckland, Thames Valley, Taranaki and Palmerston North had specially visited and examined it, and in every case their' reports as to, the condition of the stock in the district was satisfactory. |

BUTTER v. CHEESE. Refering to the statement made by Mr. Jacob Marx at the recent meeting of the Mangatoki Dairy Company shareholders regarding the relative values of butter and cheese, the Farmers' Union Advocate says the position has been well put, but adds: One point overlooked in the statement is that if butter companies go in for the saving of their casein they will make a further penny per pound for suppliers, which, taking an average of seasons—the only fair way to compute a difference in values—would give butter-making all the advantage. One fact to'be remembered, however, is that the high prices which are ruling for butter this season are due to the unprecedented drought in Britain and Europe during the past summer, conpled with the prevalence of foot and mouth disease in Continental dairy countries, whereas the exceptional values for cheese are due more to the increasing demands on the Canadian cheddar output by local consumers. Canada is progressing by leaps and bounds, and the peopling of the western districts is yearly making greater demands op the products of the dairy farmers of the eastern States. Tljus while there is every probability of better value ruliug at a lower range on British markets next season, there is little reason to believe that cheese values will show any considerable decline. While in favor of cheese, it may be said that if our cheeisemakers take up other varieties besides cheddar they may be able to widen their connection, and probably enhance their returns.

MACHINERY AT SHOWS. The following circular letter (says the Christchurch Press) has been addressed by the executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, Canterbury district, to the chairmen of local branches:—"Your executive has had under consideration the loss to farmers occasioned through the implement makers and importers declining to exhibit at the principal agricultural and pastoral shows, and, after consultation with the local Agricultural and Pastoral Association, has decided to recommend farmers who are purchasing implements or machinery previous to the annual show fixtures to make a stipulation that delivery shall be given on the show grounds, thus affordink farmers an fc opportumty of comparing and securing the most highly-improved modern machinery so that they may successfully compete in the world's markets with New Zealand produce. Further, the executive considers that the travelling agent is a costly luxury. This method of sale has largely increased the cost of selling, and the additional cost sooner or later falU upon the farmers, who arc actually keeping a large army of men to travel through the country at their expense and ultimate loss, and, in addition, much time is wasted on the farm. Therefore, your executive invites farmers to absolutely discontinue the custom of (giving orders through travelling agents, but send them direct to the firms with 'whom they desire to deal. The executive trusts you will give full consideration to these two important mattec's, and-,