"SAVE YOUR BACON."

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1917, Page 3

"SAVE YOUR BACON."

(Unrecorded wisdom of Solomon). Sir, —Our retiring directors are not nominated. Mr. McMahon appears not to like my calling such "unnominatcd." Must I then describe them as "those unspeakable directors'' of ours? A figure of speech, L, G, or Tall'v are equally lost upon your correspondent. However, here are statements, definite and relevant, which he may check at his leisure, he seeming to be a mathematician as well as a humorist. As to casein, they are based- on his tuppenny ha'penny rate, for pig, on the realised results of last season. In the House lately, the member for Egmont slated the average yield of butter-fat per cow to be Kiliib. Let us sav this is produced between August 1 and March 31. Permitting iu to rear calves, rasein supply is to begin November I —rough on the calves—and will continue through the remainder of the season —5 months out of S. We will be generous, and allow 1101b as the proportion of butterfat for ibis casein period: litllb at 2.U gives £1 -Is 2d as the value of the cow's I yield of casein during the period, so a ! herd of forty cows will return for casein £IS (is Sd. I am told, and I believe, the milk of forty cows will rear calves and fatten thirty pigs during the season. Let us be moderate, and say it will fatten 23. Last year top-weight pigs (1.501b) brought us ,C 3 15s apiece, i got inanv such. Again being moderate, let us take 1351b as the average weight of pigs produced, which will give .€3 7s (id as the \alue of each pig. For the season's 23 pigs this will give a total value of roundly £73. A friend twitted me witli not making; £80; had I fed on meal. I easily saw seventy odd. .C7S fls 2J for a pound of butter-fat during casein supply is only l%d per lb on the season's butter-fat. A pig return of C7S is nearly .12 a cow, 4d a pound for butter-fat during casein period, and is 2%d per pound on the whole season's butter-tat. Sir, this has been an intense intellectual effort for me; in pity's name let me stray a little. Wander, Mr. M. would say. as ive are wont to do iu our sunny "jades. Our chairman told us we must keep abreast of otiier companies, hence casein supple. So far the Moa Company lias paid Is 3d for butter-fat. We are promised another 2Jd, or a total of Is 5Jd for the season; for casein add another iy t d and you get Is 7!id in all. lam told Mangorei has paid out Is Sd, but then that company is under the guidance of Mr. Morton, while the Moa is under that of "unspeakables." They arc skilled pig-raisers iji Mangorei. To t'.eir realised Is Sd add 2%d for pigs, and you have a grand total for tlio season of Is 10% d. There is besides the moral satisfaction of knowing the whole li'ilk supply has produced food, and not an infinitesimal quantity of nerve tonic. Also, there is pig manure as a further asset. Be kind enough, Mr. Editor, to tabulate my statements. Casein in the air Pigs, bless 'em. Gross 40 cows £43 Gross 40 cows £7S Per cow, £1 4s 2d Per cow, £1 IDs •Per lb b.f. l%d Per lb b.f. 2%;1 Butte and casein Butter and pigs lb Moa Is 7Vid Mangorei Is 10% d These figures are instructive as showing the position not only with respect to casein but also with regard to cheese. Profit in front of your nose is not al-v.-ay.s equal to profit deferred, though it may seem ,so to the unthrifty. Some may have made more out of casein than is shown above, but ceteris paribus, as mein Otto would say. a skilled pigjraiser will do more likewise. From Stratford to Inglewood interested individuals 'are out disorganising the butter and pig industry. With a realised income of a quarter of a million from petroleum and ironsand people ia New ; 'Plymouth would not lightly endure the sasno to be trifled with by unspeakable directors. —I am, sir, ROBERT J. BAKEWELL .w-iui 10/s/Ji, . _ /-; u '