THE YEOMAN

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 26, 1 July 1867, Page 3

THE YEOMAN

Masterton, June 19, 1867. Sir, —Will you kindly allow me through your journal to give my many friends in this district a little advice about butter making. For whereas there are some who both know how, and always do make the very best of butter, you have doubtless already perceived that all do not. Probably there is no matter of more

importance to this district than what I now write about. I hear that we are already getting a bad name in the market, the consequences of which may be most detrimental to those now gaining in a great measure their living, or at any rate a considerable portion of it from this source. And not only this, but as in the body natural, so also in the body politic, when one member suffers, all the’ members suffers with it, and thus the reflex influence of loss of trade must prove a permanent injury to the district, if not to the Province at large. Allow me to say to you then, my friends, that if you would secure the best prior going, your butter must be the best to he made. To secure this some expense and trouble must be made. First, the dairy must be truly a dairy, not a receptacle for anything and everything. It should be lofty and large, and above all well ventilated and well cleaned, and have nothing whatever in it but milk or butter. For unless this be attended to, I shall be supported by many when I say that it is utterly impossible to make good butter. Again, the utensils in use should receive the most scrupulous attention, and the most liberal allowance of both hot and cold water so as to ensure their sweetness and cleanness. It is impossible to be too particular about cleaning the butter. There are many who have no inconsiderable quantity of the buttermilk in the butter. I dare say it helps up the weight, but not this alone—it helps also to give it a most unpleasant taste at once, and very soon to turn it rancid.

The salt with which it is salted should he well dried,' and if coarse rolled fine. I believe that a little crushed lump sugar added, would be a great improvement. _ And when only a small quantity is : made at a time, it would be well to keep 1 it until you'have more, so as to work all, together before putting up in the casks, j One of our storekeepers told me lately that some butter that he purchased at the current price, without tasting, he lost 2d per lb on it, when he sold it in | Wellington, and thought himself fortu- | nate in losing no more. \ Now when butter will secure 2d a lb. i more for good thau for bad, I ask you is I it not to your own advantage to se that yours is worth the higher price, and thus whilst realising the direct benefit yourself, you are at the same time indirectly benefiting the district, the Province, and the colony also, for one must react upon the other. One thing I would very strongly recommended you to do. Brand your casks not merely with your initials, but with something else, any letters may do for a dozen or so of people, but take something that will give you a distinguishing mark, and you will soon find the advantage of it. When your brand is known and can be depended on, you

will always secure the highest prices given in the highest market. Ana this is the earnest wish of Your very sincere friend, William Ecnaldson. . P.S.—I believe that I shall be borne out in my remarks on the price of butter by any and all of the storekeepers in the district, and I feel inclined io add in the Province.

.We find a correspondent at Ha wke’s Bay has been writing to the “ Australasian” with reference to Prairie Grass enquiring Ist, whether it is perennial; 2nd, whether jt is. for fodder more suitable than rye, grass or clover; and 3rd, what soils are unsuitable for it. The first question is,answered in the affirmative, but the editor says it will thrive best, by itself.. To,, the second question the reply is that where it grows well it is better than any kind of. clover. To the third it is said that it requires a deep soil, and should be allowed to stand for , seed every second year at least. We are indebted to that journal for the following interesting paragraphs Potatoes.— lt appears that Prance produces more .potatoes than any other European country,, more even than Ireland. Thus the extent of land under potatoes at the date of the last comparative returns wa,S in Great Britain 498,843 acres, in Ireland 1,050,419 acres, in Sweden 334,000 acres, in Denmark Proper 69,176 acres, in Wurtemburg 167,948 acrvs, in Bavaria 649,735 acres, in, Holland 265 ( 987 acres, in Belgium ,369,850 acres, in France 2,040,364 acres, and in Austra 1,308,148 acres.

Hop Culture. —The/‘Alta’s” correspondent says:—-“No branch of agriculture pays, better than hops. For brewers’ use the hops of California have double the strength of any imported. We visited the hop vineyard of, Flint and Haynie, on the flats of Norris’ ranch, American river, near Sacramento, recently. . It covers' twenty-five acres, and was planted in February and March of this year. The vines,stand eight feet apart. It is well demonstrated that short poles and cross-trailing on connecting cords, produce better crops than high poles. The crop for this first year is 24,0001b., worth, at 70 cent, per pound 18,800 dollars. Next year the plant starts from fixed roots of one year’s growth and the crops will double. It will be seven years, probably, before the plant will show deterioration. ’

Guano. —A letter from Cobija, Bolivia, in the “ Moniteur,” says:—“ The concession of the guano of Mejillones, which has been granted to a French company, directed by M. Arman, will produce important receipts for the Treasury here, and draw closer the. good relations betwoon Rnlivin ivua I’iauw. •i-Uv vv,... pany has undertaken to extract annually 40,000 tons, which will pay a duty to the common profit of Bolivia and Chi l of 25f. per ton. The last explorations have established the fact that the deposit of Mejillones contains more than ten milliohs of tons of excellent guano, which has begun to be shipped, and which will soon furnish its contingent to French agriculture. There is a question of exporting it under the form of large hardened bricks, which would enable the freight to be reduced. On Preserving Butter without Salt. —Set the butter in a cool pan over the fire, aud melt it very gently, and heat it very nearly to boiling point; experience has shewn this heat to be attained when the reflection of the white of the eye is distinctly seen on the surface of the butter on looking down into the pan; all the watery particles are then evaporated, and the curd, of which a portion always remains in the butter, and is one cause of its becoming rancid, falls to the bottom. The clear butter is then poured into an earthen vessel, and covered over with paper, and a bladder or a piece of leather is tied over the jar to exclude the air ; when cool, it very much resembles hog’s lard ; it may loose some of its flavour, but it is much superior to salt butter for culinary purposes, and especially for pastry. — ‘ Townsend on the Management of Cattle.’

A DISPATCH PROM SIR G. GREY. (From the Illustrated London News.) The following despatch from Sir George Grey, K.C.8., the Governor of New Zealand, on the improved condition of that colony, has been addressed to the Earl of Carnarvon:— Government House, Wellington, Jan. 8,1867. My Lord, —I have this morning returned to this place, a few hours before the Panama steamer sails with the English mails. 1 consequently have no time to make a lengthened report to you; but I am sure that yon will be happy to hear that this country continues tranquil, and is rapidly improving in every respect. On my recent journey I have passed through the north island, traversing its central and most accessible districts, portions of which had not been visited by any European for several years. I was everywhere received -with joy and rejoicings by the native population, even in those districts where the losses of men during tho war had been very large; but these men had all fallen in places remote from their own territory, where they had gone to join there fellow-countrymen who were in arms against us, and their surviving relations admitted, in the most unreserved manner, that we were not to blame for the large, loss of life which had taken place. I consider the native population to be now in a better state than I have ever previously known it. The natives expressed the greatest

I anxiety that Europeans should settle amongst [ them. They cheerfully conform to the views and wishes of the Government upon all matters; indeed, they appear to desire to be directed, and to be shown what they should do to render practicable a rapid amalgamation between the Europeans and themselves. I met everywhere in districts which had been regarded as unsafe the utmost respect, and I was treated with a kindness so attentive and considerate that it was quite touching. I feel sure that the European population, finding from my journey that they can again safely traverse the interior of the country, will begin to spread into all parts of it, developing the great resources of valuable districts which are now but little know ; and the advance of this , northern island in wealth and population will be consequently henceforth very rapid. In this advance in wealth and prosperity the native population, who are extensive landholders, will largely share; and I feel quite satisfied that Mew Zealand, now ceasing to be any drain upon the resources of Great Britain, will in time be regarded as one of the most tranquil and valuable portions of the empire. G. Ghky.