BUTTER FACTORIES IN AMERICA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2214, 16 September 1886, Page 2

BUTTER FACTORIES IN AMERICA.

Thl experience gained in the management of butter faetoues during six years in Sew Yoik State ia of value as a guide to tho.se who ate contemplating the establishment of similar undertakings. In the northern portion of the State a large number of butter factories were started between 1879 and ISSI, and they appear to have given great satisfaction to the dairy farmers. In the north and east of St. Lasvrence County the factories are particularly numerous, dairy farming being the principal agricultural business. A writer in the Albany "Country Gentletnan " says that within a radius of four tndes from his house there are six of these establishments, besides one cheese factory. The farmers consequently have 30 little distance to convey their milk, that the old milk-gathenng plan is followed, although it is admitted that the cream-gathering system is preferable under ordinary ciicumstances, a3 it involves less carting, and leaves the skimmed milk on the farms, instead of returning it when sour. Some of the factories are conducted on the "patron " or co-operative sj stem, the farmers payini? for the making of the butter and appointing an agent to sell it for them. Where this is not the case, from 77 cents to SO cents per 100 lbs of milk has been the price paid to the farmers during the past season. This is at the rate of about lOd per lb for the butter produced. All the factories adopt the cold setting system, though some of them still Übe old-fashioned large pans, winch are cooled from the bottom, and others open cans, set iv pots of cold water. The system of setting in closed and submerged cans is becoming, however, more and more general. Last sea« son the average quantity of butter produced in a factory using shallow pans was lib to 24 Ub of milk ; that of a factory using cans set in water was lib in 'Ju'lb ot milk ; and that of a factory adopting the deep-setting system was llbto'Jllb. Indoed, it is said all the factories using the last system have a better record of butter produce than the others. The ci cam-separator, it is declared, has not given such good results, and the expense of fuel for working it is objected to. In one factory it is intended to give up the separator and return to the deep-setting system. It is particularly worthy of notice that the co-operative factories have paid the contributing farmers a better price than that given by the proprietary companies ; but the favourite project now is to establish cooperative cream-gathering factories.

Between* nine and ten millions of edible birds' nests are imported into China every year to be made luto soup. The great pott f>r the ti.ifiic is Canton. The edible bin's' nests cost ten shillings an ounce ; some fifty of them going to a pound.