DAIRY NOTES.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 283, 7 December 1907, Page 5

DAIRY NOTES.

(By "Starter")

"It seems strange," said a gentleman interested in the butter trade to me "that in spite of the offers made to various factories this season many of them still adhere to the method of disposing of their output by consignment, and though the other large industries of the country have found this method highly unsatisfactory we still find the dairy farmers in many instauces adhering to it.

"In the early days of the frozen meat industry a considerable amount of the mutton and beef was sent Home on consignment, bnfc tho returns were of such an unsatisfactory nature that practically speaking the whole business is altered and it is now sold c.i.t'.e, or the freezing companies purchase outright on the farms and stations. In tho hemp market we have never heard of any of the millers consigning but on the other hand they invariably sell f.o.b. export steamer. Wool is gradually but surely coming ronud to the same method of disposal. There has been an enormous increase in the entries for wool to sell in the colony and thus it is much beyond anything that it has ever been before.

"Now to go back to the dairy industries ; it seems as if they are to be the last to recognise that it is not wise to trust produce and the labour of fully twelve months to the mercies of a man 16,000 miles away. The Home broker fully recognises that there is no such tiling as connection but that the colonial seller will pass him over for a 16th and he is only considered when he can give more than his competitors. The troubles are not numerous when the market is rising, but so soon as it falls we commence to receive complaints as to quality, &c. Surely it would be better to sell knowing exactly what we were going to receive and how much they could afford to pay their suppliers so that receipts and expenditure could be regulated in accordance with the prices received. If these other large industries have proved to their own satisfaction that this is the wisest and safest method then surely the dairy factories would be wise to consider that view of the matter.

"There is still another aspect of the question and that is that although a number of factories have been offered this season up to 10% d for their butter and up to very nearly Gd for their cheese they still prefer to consign rather than to sell. They cannot hope to get more than from to on the one and %(L on the otner over and above that offer and all the time they are risking a falling market, because they must bear in mind that although the price for dairy produce is now reported very high at Home, still it was in a similar position 12 months ago and when the stuff arrived Home in heavy quantities the market dropped to below 100 for butter. This state of affairs might easily occur again and the consigning factories would lose badly, and seeing that the question of consignment or selling is left to a small number of directors who are acting on behalf of the shareholders, the directors appear to be taking upon themselves an undue risk for the problematical gain of a fraction of a penny." A contemporary says: "A settler who has some cows, of which he thinks very highly, recently resolved to have the milk of one of them tested for butter fat. He is not a supplier to any factory, but sent a bottle of milk from his favourite cow to the Belvedere factory. The milk yielded the extraordinary test of 16.1." The explanation of this test most probably was that the settler did not understand how to take a sample of the milk. THE WEATHER AND THE TESTS. A rather peculiar feature arising not only in this distirct but in others has been brought to my notice, namely, that since the fine weather has replaced the sodden spring the test in many instances have gone down and the farmers are much put about on account of this state of things and are wondering what is the cause. lam inclined to believe that owing to the very wet spring and shortage of feed the cows got in such a low condition that when the wet weather took up and the fine came along the whole of the feed given to the cow has gone into consumption which is making the body fat at the expense of the milk, or in other words, the cows have improved in condition at the expense of the butter fat. lam led to this conclusion after having made careful enquires around the country, where all questions as to whether or not the cows are in good condition have been answered in the affirmative. 'THE NATIONAL DAIRY SHOW. The time is now somewhat opportune for a word as to the great Winter show held in Palmerston North and known everywhere as "The Great National Dairy Show." ! Ever since its inauguration in 1903 this show has been growing in size and importance, and it is now recognised as the premier fixture held in connection with the dairy industry soutli of the line. For next year's show the schedule will contain a number of innovations, as each year some new scheme for improvement is discovered. A new class which has been included is thai for the best collection of six distinct varieties of potatoes, six tubers of each named. The first prize in this class will be 20s together with the Royal Horticultural Society's medal, the second prize to be 10s. Another class which at the present season should be of interest to farmers, and for which the R.H.S. medal is also awarded, is for the best collection of vegetables as follows:—6 beets in one variety, 4 cabbages, one or more varieties, 2 cauliflowers, 6 carrots, 6 celery, 6 leeks, 6 onions; all of one variety. 1 marrow, 6 parsnips, 6 turnips; each of one variety This class must consist of eight distinct kinds to be accepted. The R.H.S. medal will also be given for the best collection of apples. . L . The Luxford Shield is again to be competed for under similar conditions as obtained last year.