H.—2B

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Weights : Since my arrival here I have seen several instances of short net weight in our butter-packages. Creamery-managers should see to it that their scales are in good order, and that proper care is exercised in the weighing- of the butter. Sufficient allowance should be made for shrinkage so that the butter in our 56 11). packages should turn the scale at 56 lb. net when stripped for check weighing in the warehouses at this end. "Whey" butter: As there is now every indication of a considerable output of "whey" butter from our Dominion, 1 would strongly recommend that an amendment be made in the Dairy Act. and Regulations making it compulsory to brand it as "whey" butter, or words to that effect. Owing to the objectionable flavour of this class of butter, I am of the opinion that it would not be advisable to continue exporting "whey" butter from the Dominion under our "creamery" brand, as it will lower the high standard of quality of the latter butters on the Home market. The result would be that we should probably have to accept lower prices for our butters than would otherwise be the case if the "whey" butter were placed in a class by itself and branded accordingly. Use of the term " superfine " : If it should be decided upon to use the term " superfine " for our higher grades of creamery butter, 1 would recommend that this class should apply only to those butters scoring 93 points and over. Comparison witli other butters : Since my arrival in England I have had many opportunities of comparing our creamery butters with those of other countries whose butters have also to be carried long distances, ami, generally speaking, 1 find that the quality of our butter is superior to our competitors' : 1 refer to Australian, Siberian, Argentine, and Canadian produce. The Irish butters that I have seen up to the present are not to be compared with ours for quality, but no doubt the quality of Irish will improve as their season advances. Our higher grades compare very favourably with Danish, Swedish, and Finnish. One is very much struck with the lack of colour in many Continental butters, some being almost dead-white in colour, due no doubt to fodder feeding and pasteurization, further aggravated by excessive working. Some butters I have seen are very salvy in appearance, and the texture was, in my opinion, destroyed. Internal appearance of butter-packages : After comparison I may state unreservedly that it is my opinion that our butter-packages are neater and more attractive in internal appearance than any others that I have seen up to the present time: this refers to 56 lb. packages and kegs from overseas. Use of rubber stamp : When any of our producers export from our Dominion butter " unsalted," " tuisalted without preservative," I recommend that rubber stamps be used accordingly—as. " U. 5.," or "Unsalted," or " U.5.W.P.," or " Unsalted • Without Preservative," to be plainly stamped on both ends of each package. This would facilitate the sorting-out at the docks or warehouses at this end. Factory Cheese. Flavour: The irregularity in the flavour of our cheese is a matter that requires to be remedied. I have seen numerous brands of bur cheese that have been sound and regular in flavour, but too often we find a quantity of our cheese of strong and objectionable flavour. "Off" and rancid flavours have not been much in evidence. In some lines one could examine perhaps four or five vats, and these would perhaps be of very fair flavour; whereas the next one would be of unclean flavour. This irregularity in flavour causes financial loss to the producer. Body : Generally speaking, the body of our cheese is fairly uniform and gives satisfaction, but I have seen brands of cheese at. Home that have been stiff, harsh, and mealy; these do not suit market requirements here, nor is it desirable to see cheese carrying too much acid to such an extent as to cut the colour and destroy the texture of the cheese. Only on a few occasions have I noticed what could really be termed weak-bodied cheese, but those that I saw were very disappointing in quality. In. a few instances I have seen cheese that were tough or rubbery when rubbing up between the fingers and thumb. I also have to record a considerable amount of pastiness in our cheese, probably due to imperfect cooking of the curd in the whey, which again may be accentuated by overripe milk, causing fast-working vats. What is wanted here is a mealy cheese of silky texture, but which must have good body in it. To obtain such a class of cheese it is essential that our makers should be supplied with a good sound normal milk in the first instance. It is no good makers running in as much acid as their cheese will stand in the hopes of covering defects, because age will tell, and although a cheese may show a considerable amount of acid and is firm in body without showing serious defects prior to shipment, I have very frequently found such a class of cheese to be pasty and mealy at this end, breaking short, and of harsh texture. These are disappointing results, which are probably due to a considerable extent to abnormal conditions existing in the raw material on arrival at the factory. Discussing this matter with a representative of a house in Glasgow, he said, " Now, you people have ruined your cheese with your acid." At the same time, a sweet cheese is not by any means desired. Make : The make in a considerable quantity of our cheese is satisfactory, and some of our makers are doing good work, but one would like to see our season's make much more uniform in this respect. Speaking generally, the bulk of our cheese is too open in make, which detracts from its financial value. The chief fault appears to me to be artificial openness, and, although fermentation openings of various types have been observed from time to time, the percentage has been low and. only seen occasionally. Looseness is also noticeable at times. This appears to be due to free fat, which has prevented the curd-cubes from knitting together. This fault does not seem to disappear with age.