A NEW INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 254, 17 March 1913, Page 6

A NEW INDUSTRY.

IX TARAXAKI. MILK CAESIK EXTRACTION AT BELL BLOCK. (Contributed.) Frequenters of the niiijii New Ply-liioiitli-U'itilai'ii road will lutvc noticed tlie erection of new buildings in the Bell Block factory yard. These additions are in connection with the company's recent decision to embark on the extraction of casein from the skim-milk. The building, which is substantially built, lias been specially designed by the New Zealand Casein Company, Ltd., of Aramoho, for the purpose of casein extraction.

On the top platform are the vats, each capable of holding 830 gallons of skim milk. On the lower floor are the straining crates and presses. The process of extraction consists of collecting the skim-milk as it leaves the separators and storing it in the vats, where by a very simple process a slow coagulation is induced, until the vat has the appearance of a very large dish of junket. The coagulated mass is then broken up into i small cubes, and by the application of heat the water and other solids not casein arc exuded from the cube, leav- | ing a small granule of casein or curd j floating on top of the whey, or residue. This residue is next run off the vat of curds on its way into the storage tanks, whence it is pumped up for delivery to farmers. The casein which remains in the vat after the residue is run off is next washed, in order to free it from any remaining whey, and finally passed through a door in the vat end into thestraining crate. After the draining is complete the casein is submitted to presI sure to exude further moisture, and is then ready to be packed into canvas bags for transmission to the Aramoho : drying station. Arrived at Aramoho, certain other processes are gone" through, until finally the casein is in a condition to be packed in grain sacks and shipped to the users of the wonderful by-product of milk. The adoption of casein extraction will mean an increase of about 10-per cent, in the amount of money distributed amongst the Bell Block suppliers, clear of all expenses of working, and, in addition, the return to suppliers-of a very superior whey, which is an excellent base for calf and pig feeding. By tite; process used by the New Zealand Casein Co.. Ltd., no deleterious acids .or ingredients are used in the extraction, and, further, the wliev is bulit up< by .the addition of a specially prepared phos- ' phate-. : . Great care has been devoted to the. installation towards minimising the S labor, in handling, and it is claimed that •) the. arrangements at Bell, Block are supe- • j rior to those obtaining 1 in Denmark, J where the industry was 'first commenced.'- '..] Installations of .a. similar -Jintuvo are 'now in course of construction at the • main factories of the North Tar.Ynaki. I J and Wsiitara companies, and casein is; ' 1 being extracted, at Hillsborough creamlerv - . : ~',.,■' ■ : .

.Mr. F. W. Viekerman, managed' 1 of ,the

Casein -Company, is eree. tion at, each'place. It is interesting; to learn that the direction' of' the' Caselii' Company is in the hands''of'a well-'knoWt< ex-Taranaki resident, Mr. H. E. Good,' who occupies the position' 'of ciiairmati of -'directors/. Residents, of' the' 'district interested in, the',dairying industry will' lie'welcome at the Bell Block and given every facility of becoming conversant with the industry at first hand.

■ We' trust that' tlie' ! Bell' Blw& ; Vefttur«i will prove satisfactory in every way, and wish the promo'ters ,l otftlie f casein in dustry every 'success: "' ' '■''':>■■'■■■' - ■■■>•;!■.. THE ROMANCE OF MILK. A favorite scientific lecture is entitled ■''The Romance of Coal Tar/', anuy..with l the exception of skim-milk, probably no by-product can be'pntrto-scrqirany- different uses'. As everyone,knows, the main, product of milk is'fatriis'ualiy designated by the word "test," a word which everyone hears in every part of Tarahaki J where "two or tliree ar.e .gathered; together." Of casein, albumen and milk sugar cine hears comparatively .little, and then oijly in a vague and indefinite manner. Yet each of the other, solids', of milk has a. commercial use and 'of being turned to profit. -,-:•-' It is f doubtful who is; responsible for the discovery of uses to .which-casein can be put.' Legend credits a. lazy : fac-, tory assistant for first 'bringing, it under notice. ■ Told one day to mix-whitewash; he went to get water, only to,-find,the tank empty. Too tired to T pump, he mixed his wash with- stum-milk.. The manager, noting the surface, made and, as a result, practically "all "coldwater paints are -mivdcj .from .. a~,ca&oijv base. The better class'of these'-'pVrttfcf-show a splendid surface and will stand washing. Another large us'iTfor casein is found in paper glazing.- -Owe.-of the best-known New Zealand... illustrated papers - prints on caseiniglazcd paper. Glazed cotton goods, printed cotton goods, etc.. owe their glaze and fastness of color to casein. As a paste and'glue' casein has few equals. A well-known , olliee paste is very little more' than casein and water. The ttiree-jily woodwork ;<vul delicate veiH'.eTs7flrnr possible only, .with a casein-formalin glno'.-' -in i.soap it: increases the hardness iirtrVfl-dds to the; lathering properties. 1 In boot polishes), ointments, stencil iiik's-and a host o? other everyday articles casein finds aiplac'e. Sanatogeiijiplasmon and other health foods are possible only througU casein. Mostjwonderful of aH,.'-lio\v4ve) , .,;"iß : !the utilisation of the milk bv-produet in the mannfavture' of imitation ■ ivriry-slione-goods. ' Gallolith (or milk stoim) is-the name given to this particular product,, and. from it we get almost -anything,-, from a-piano key to a knitting needle.Combs.' pencil holders. : buttons.- -billiard balls, counters, discs, insulators, knife-, handles, etc.. are fashioned from srallolith. awl owing to the .remarkable smoothnc-s and non-inflammability of the product are finding an ever-ready-and increasing demand. In connection with gallolith. it is pleasing to learn that-the Casein Company hope to be able to. ar; range a display of these goods at the next local winter show.