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Manufacturing Methods.—Methods of manufacture at the majority of factories are generally on sound lines, but there is a tendency at a number of factories to hurry the manufacture too much both in the whey and also before salting. Although in most cases good cheese is being made under these methods, even better results would be obtained if more time were given to the curd at all stages of manufacture. Many managers do not appear to realize that one of the main essentials in making good Cheddar cheese is that the curd must be well cooked and firmed up in the last of the whey. More attention is being given to the setting temperature of the milk and the temperature of the curd at hooping-time, both important details that have an influence on the body of the cheese. Milk Grading.—Although milk grading is generally being carried out satisfactorily, there is, unfortunately, still evidence that some companies are grading too leniently, and in spite of repeated instructions to managers to grade according to the standards set, there are some who obviously take the line of least resistance by classifying what should be second grade as passable first. Though there has been improvement during the past few years, much more could be done at some factories. Some of the faults noted when checking milk grading are : too much methylene blue being used, samples too soft when draining the whey off, samples too cold when grading, and in many cases the grading being carried out too soon. However, by constant checking on the delinquent managers it is hoped that more favourable results will be obtained. Curing-rooms.—On visits to factories special notice has been taken of the condition of the curing-rooms and the way cheese were being looked after on the shelves. In most cases the cheese were free from mould and were being looked after better than they were a few seasons ago. In factories equipped with temperature- and humidity-control units there is very little trouble in keeping cheese clean and free from mould. Temperature control of curing-rooms appears to be gaining in favour, especially in the Wairarapa, where Dalefield, Featherston, Belvedere, and others have been equipped with plants to control the temperature and humidity in their rooms. Labour in Cheese-factories.—Although shortage of labour was still a problem during the flush of the season in a number of factories, the position was not quite as acute as in past seasons. The class of labour offering has, however, been far from satisfactory, and it is a pity that a better type of young man cannot be induced to adopt cheesemaking as a career. Inspection of Dairy-produce in Britain The London office continues to fulfil an important place in the activities of the Division, providing the final link in the Division's association with milk and cream produced on the farm and the Dominion's dairy-produce on the counter of the retailer in the United Kingdom or Europe. Close contact is maintained with all developments of interest to the New Zealand dairy industry, including research, technology, administration, marketing, and distribution. The following are extracts from the reports of the Inspectors of Dairy Products : —- London Report by F. H. Taylor Continental Visits. —In May, at the request of the Marketing Commission, I visited Switzerland to ascertain the condition of a shipment of unsalted butter which was delivered for that country and transhipped through Antwerp. I was pleased to find the produce had arrived in a satisfactory condition, both in regard to the packages themselves and to the quality of the butter. Samples were forwarded to the town of Yevey, where a conference of Swiss buttermakers was to be held. Swissbutters were taken from cold stores and examined ; some samples of New Zealand butter were also tried and scored according to Swiss pointings. These showed that our butter compared more than

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