DAIRY FARMING.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1529, 22 April 1882, Page 3

DAIRY FARMING.

Thm probabilities of a profitable export trade in dairy produce— butter especially, are generally regarded here as altogether dependent on the means available lor its safe and speedy transit to the Home markets. That this is a prevailing idea among fanners has been manifested by their support of the Meat Freezing Company, and which further affords evidence of a strong desire to engage in this branch of agricultural industry. To those who have given the subject close consideration, it must, however, be manifest that no adequate estimate has as yet been formed of the conditions necessary to success in the enterprise, and that unless the usual dairy practices are abandoned or reformed, certain failure must result. Unfortunately our home consumers have not been exacting in the matter of quality. Makers of butter and cheese have, therefore, had no difficulty in satisfying their customers. This and some questionable successes at local shows have strengthened the idea that our dairy produce is very superior, and our producers have therefore been content to remain in ignorance of or disregard to the great advance which lias been made elsewhere, and within the last few years, in all branches of the dairying iudustry. It is somewhat remarkable that precisely similar ideas as to the superiority of their productions prevailed with the dairy farmers of the United Kingdom until they were suddenly awakened to the fact that -tne foieign article -butter especially C-was rapidly supplanting theirs in the market, was preferred by customers, and therefore fetched higher prices. To this pressure may solely be attributed the vast improvements effected in dairy management within the past four years in the United Kingdom, and if we hope to encounter successfully the formidable competition of English, Continental, and American dairy-farmers in the Home markets, our management must be as nice and exact, and our appliances in the manufactures as perfect, as theirs. The lesson forced upon the English farmers we must also learn, or abandon the idea of benefiting by the advantages of the best markets in the world for butter and cheese. What the English butter markets are is very well embodied in the report of a deputation sent by the Armagh Market* Committee to the London Dairy Show held a few months ago :— " The population of London nearly approaches the entire population of Ireland. What quantity of butter does it take daily for Ireland ? How much more does it take for a buttereating people in London, who must have and will pay for butter— mild, clean, naturally good-coloured and flavoured. Indeed/ such is the consumption that there need be no fear, if we sent all we could produce, of a glut in the market.' In explanation of the falling off in demand for Irish butter in the London maikcfc, the lepoit states :— ' It is oversalted, too stale, too much worked, and badly got up, consequently a foreign butter has supplanted it in the London market.' The butter fiom Normandy is largely imported, and only since 1876 lias driven out the Irish-made article at a loss to Ireland of about one million and a half pounds sterling per annum. Of the English maikets generally, the deputation further reported :— ' We also learned that while a very mild butter only will be bought in London, Manchester prefers salt butter, and Birmingham a medium salt ; so that in England there appears to be tlnce kinds of butter in request.' Thus almost simultaneously were the English butters which had monopolised the first place in the London market, and the best Irish brands which ranked second and third, supplanted by Continental make admittedly supeiior in quality. The foreign importations were appreciated and annually on the increase, the totals to England for the past year nearly of the value of £14,000,000 sterling, and it was apparent that dairyfarming in the United Kingdom was seriously jeopardised. It became a necessity that farmeis should acquit e sound information on the subject, educate themselves in new ways, and use approved appliances. In Ireland, a dairy school was established by the Rev. Canon Bagot, and this, as will appear subsequently, has been a decided success. The Royal Irish Society also took the matter in hand earnestly and practically, and have now travelling dairies to illustrate by actual work the best methods of making butter. The Royal Society of England has recently appointed a special dairy com mittoe to initiate and supervise a department for the encouragement of this branch of farming industry, whilst throughout the country individuals and companies have already established factories for butter and cheese making on better principals. There must be something in this educational idea too, for at the London autumn dairy show, and the principal exhibitions of dairy produce throughout England, all the prizes were earned off by exhibits from the dairy schools. The fir&t dairy educational establishment started in the United Kingdom — the Minister dairy school — obtained the Lord Mayor's (London) Cup, the Royal Agricultural Society of England's medal, and special prize for the butter that was in best condition after the seven day and night exposure to the heat of the weather, and it is remarked—' This butter, treated with loz of salt to 71b, was perfectly sweet at the conclusion of the show, and goes far, in our opinion, to confirm the theory that really well-made butter requires no salt to keep it.' It is further stated that the judges were the largest retail dealers in fresh butters in London, and that they pronounced the exhibits under notice ' unequalled for quality, flavour, and textuie.' Sufficient has been adduced to show the extraordinary attention the industry has attracted in tho Mother Country lately, and the determination to attain, as nearly as possible, perfection in the manufacture of dairy produce. If this be fully comprehended by our dairy farmers, the question will naturally suggest itself : How will our heterogeneous produce stand in competition with that prepared with such nicety and exactness, ami according to uniform and approved rules ? The result may be easily forecast. It is questionable if more than ten per cent, of the bulk of such butters as meet a ready sale, and often commendations, in the Dunedin market would, if sold in England — no matter how carefully carried— realise sufficient to covc&Jreight and expenses. Every exrfSeTirnere m the trade knows how difficult it is to procure even a passable article in butter, and deems it fortunate that the great majority of customers are unable to discriminate in the matter, for, unaccustomed to the superior, their tastes are acquired, and hence .the demand for every variety of compound. — Witness,

Thk Khedive of Egypt is reported to have set at libei"ty nearly a hundred slaves who had been brought to Cairo. Among them were some sixty girls, ranging in age from ten to fifteen years, most of whom had been sold •by their own parents for sums rouging between 100 and 300dols. The greater number were black, but some who had come from Abyssinia were of lighter edmplexion, or even •white, '