BUTTER AND CHEESE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 202, 15 January 1913, Page 7

BUTTER AND CHEESE.

—Bi RECORD EXPORTS. REMARKABLF EXPANSION IX THE OUTPUT. The Ruapehu completed her loading at Xew Zealand ports at Wellington on Friday and sailed with a record cargo of dairy produce' aboard. The shipment was"made up of 1420 tons of butter and 1318 ie:.i of cheese, making an aggregate consignment of 21138 tons of dairy produce, which is the largest that has yet been despatched in one bottom from the Dominion.

For the east month or two the doings of the wool markets have excited public interest anil provided matter for general satisfaction by the high prices that have been offering. While the export of wool represents by far the largest item of rural production, it is admitted that the product of the dairy farm, although of 1 smaller aggregate cash value, is of equal, J if not of greater, importance to the i prosperity of the country generally. While the wool grower is rejoicing at the excellent season just experienced, it is interesting to turn and enquire how j matters are faring with the dairying industry. } SHIPMENTS TO GREAT BRITAIN. From latest figures compiled showing the export of butter and cheese during the present shipping season, covering the J months from the beginning of October, I 1012, to January 3, 1913, it is found ) that the export of both butter and cheese from all sources shows a very satisfactory advance on the figures covering the same period last season. The exact quantities of dairy produce ex-

I ported up to January 3 to Great Britain J vrere:— ] Butter. { 1912-13 160.522 ewt. 1911-12 151,953cwt.. J Increase or 8339 tons, or 426 tons. J Cheese. 1912-13 217,255 ewt. j 1911-12 175,460cwt. Increase 38,795 ewt., or 1939 tone. , , , ~. STEADY PROGRESS. !J''i.-It' will-thus be seen that the dairying industry is expanding at a. most satis- ' factory rate, and is assuming more im'portance every year. So far the weather conditions have favored the dairy- : maii and' there is every prospect that when the figures showing the total export are made up at the end of March the : totals will show a great advance on y any yet recorded. \ , '", VANCOUVER TRADE. , -In addition-to the-butter exported to .England, shipments, already sen.t-.to-Van-couver!, this season show a decided gaiii upon those made during the correspond-ing-months of last year. For the last quarter oj; the year 1011 ended December ,3j trade was represented -i by. 3.40 tons. During the same period of j,19.1? ,tjho,,export, to the Western Canal.dian: market.had increased to 1557 tons, ) a gnjfl,pf;|l2L7ntons..- It is early yet to .^anticipate!,.what the total export of butter to? Vancouver .for the season will j ,be, ,t)iit jvhen it is remembered' that the ,nojv ipejng- done with that port |..has.ioi|)y bflen,opened up within the past I two,.,fears;and is rapidly extending, as jtshp-wn toy the increasing volume of busi- ' ness, it is plain the New Zealand pro.duoer has', secured a valuable market in the sister: Dominion. CHEESE v. BUTTER. ... , Wis noted that notwithstanding the decision of many manufacturers to give Attention to eWese-making in preference 'to butter, the export of butter is greater than that of last year, when a decline o." 7(18 tons was shown. This is attributed to the rapid extension of tne dairying industry in new districts and 'p'a'rtly in Ih'e very favorable season that has so far been experienced. QUALITY BEING .MAINTAINED. :

Enquiries made regarding quality show that a high standard of excellence is being maintained throughout, and that the quality of butter going forward has never been excelled. While it is thought that the adoption of home separation,of qveam will eventually restrict the quantity.of veallv choice lines that will com.rnaiyl tip-top-prices, there is no danger that the manufacturers will allow the general quality of their outputs to recede in the general average grading. CHEESEMAKING IN FAVOR. ■ The-cheese exported already shows an advance of 1939 tons on the previous season, but it is too soon to anticipate .what the final returns will be, because the bulk of the output does not come forward till well on in the new year. There is, however, a certainty that a great increase will be disclosed. In Taranaki, particularly, the output will lii' very large, although not so great as may be expected in future. This year a large number of butter factories in that province were equipped with cheesemaking machinery, but the broken weather delayed building operations and other delays in getting appliances prevented cheesemaking early in the year, otherwise at least an additional '.">000 tons would have been turned out. This, of course, would have meant less butter. IMPROVEMENT OF HERDS.

Perhaps the most satisfactory feature of the dairying industry is to 'be found in the fact that although the output from nil sources this year bids fair to establish an easy record, the number of cows being milked has not been increased in proportion, which clearly shows that the gospel of the elimination of the unprofitable cow and need for better feeding that has been so consistently advocated by the officers of the Department of Agriculture has been recognised, and is being systematically attended to throughout the country, more particularly where dairying has been long established.—Wellington Times.