"BEARING" CROSSBRED WOOL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9675, 14 December 1909, Page 3

"BEARING" CROSSBRED WOOL.

Messrs Willans and Overbury, London, in a circular letter to their New Zealand correspondents, under date October 29th, furnish the following interesting information:—Since the close of the late September series, certain developments have occurred in the wool market on this side, concerning which you may be interested to reoeved some comment. In the first place, very shortly after the close of the September auctions, a general attempt was made, both on the Continent and this country, to depress values. Ttie occasion was in every way an opportune one, and l he effort at first met with a fair amount of success. Within the last week, however, it has become evident that the general conditions of trade are too sou.id to permit of the movement being thoroughly maintained, and while merinos have shown no actual advance, coarse crossbreds have remained practically unaffected by the "bear" tactics referred to, a clear indication of the reasonable level at which these wools stand. Bradford topmafcers are refusing to speculate in coarse wools by selling forward, at lower rates than present quotations, and this may be taken as a sure sign that the trade do not anticipate being able to buy later on at cheaper rates. The recovery in top quotations, and the caution of buyers above referred to, when consi ered m conjunction with the present increasing disposition towards goods made from the coarser crossbreds—a movement which we have every reason to believe will be progressive during the coming year—confirms us in our previously expressed belief that there is still plenty of room for an advance in the medium and coarse gradea of crossbred. We would add that from communications reciived from New Zealand we gather that there is an impression in the Dominion that supplies of wool during the coining season are going to be unusually heavy. We hold very strongly to the opinion that the coming cHd from Australasia will not exceed by more than a few thousand bales the export figures of the past year, and that as far as crossbred wool is concerned, whatever slight increase may be seen from New Zealand (and ihis i j rot expected (o be more than 13,000 bales) will be a good deal m .re than discounted by the anticipated decrease from South America.

BUTTERMAKINGON THE FARM.

A veiy useful bulletin is that just issued from the Dairying Division. It was written by Mr W. E. Gwillim, and is entitled "Buttermaking on the Fdrm." Though the Dairying Division is Known to be opposed to the home making of butter where it can be avoided, it is doing good service to those who cannot command the advantages of a factory by issuing this bulletin. As to flavour and keeping quality Mr Gwillim points out that bad flavour comes from the feeding of tumps, sometimes-rank clover, musty silage, watercress, aromatic weeds like capeweed, dandelion, penny royal, etc., and also bad water. After emphasising the n.ed of good health in the cows, wk'. scrupulous care and cleanliness on trie part of the men, Mr Gwillim mentions these four essentials in the equipment:— /a) A good place to make butter in; " I (b) An abundant supply of pure cold water; (c) Good butter-making appliances; (d) And conveniences for cleaning appliances The principal butter making appliances wanted are: —Means for obtaining cream, from the milk; means for cooling and ripening cream; butter churn; butter woker; thermometer. The setting of milk for skimming in shallow dishes is fast becoming obsolete, and tne modern s parator has many advantages, iniluding less loss of time and cream, Detailed reference is made to the various appliances, and to their use and to the processes of cooling; the regulation of temperature, the salting, the packing, and the exporting. The average composition of highgrade, butter, says Mr Gwillim, should be fat 85 per cent.; moisture ] 12.50 to 13 per cent.; and curd, salt, and ash, 2.05 to 3 per cent. The cost of appliances required in a butter dairy of 40 cows is given in two alternative tables, whose totals are £56 14s and £69 U-i (with separator). The'cost of building a dairv is set down at about £35.