AUCKLAND AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6051, 9 April 1881, Page 5

AUCKLAND AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING. Tiie annual meeting of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held at the Association's office, Queen-street, yesterday. Air. J. Lamb occupicd the chair. The ! miuutes of the last annual meeting were then r«sad and confirmed. The balance-sheet I showed that the income for the year had been £1173, and the expenditure £1325, the | difference being made up by £50 cash in hand from last year, about £120 overdraft, I less £17 17s now on hand. REPORT. ! The committee's report was then prej seated, and reads as follows : — ! We have much plcasuro in congratulating our i members on the continuingprosperity of our Association. The statements of receipts and expenditure, I and of assets and liabilities show that the surplus on I 81st of March i 3 £244 greater than it was a yoar ago. 1 This satisfactory result is the more gratifying when wc consider that, in order to meot the exigencies of a two days' show, it was necessary to erect stalls for balls and stallions, besides incurring the cost of a building suitable for the horticultural exhibition. Our second horse parade was held in tho early spring. The question whether it would not be better to hold it a month later, in future, is worthy of consideration. The number of horses exhibited this year was greater than last, and the'quality very superior The exhibits of cattle were fewer this year, in consequence of the provelance of pleuro-pncutnonia in the "Waikato district, but the high character of our stock was well maintained by those exhibited. Tho entries of implements, carriages, and industrial products, and of articles of general utility, showed a large increase in this class of exhibits, which increase will doubtless continue firm, accommodation provided. Although a suitable building for the horticultural exhibition has been erected, the success of this department was not so complete as wo looked for. The wisdom of holding a two days show has been amply proved, and appears to have been favourably received by the public, tho attendance having been larger than at any previous one. The committee wish to record, in this report, its sense of obligation to the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company for their valuable silver cup, which it presented as a prize for fiheep. The members will see, by an examination of the statement of roceipts and expendituro during ' tho past year, that with increased labour in pro- , during increased income, the strictest economy has been exercised, the result boin? the improvement of 1 position mentioned in the first paragraph of this . report. J

. The Chairman said that he believed the society had done a great deal of good to the country, by drawing attention to it from outside, and he himself-had had letters from gentlemen in the United Kingdom relative to the position of this country, and particularly the North Island. He then congratulated the society upon pleuro pneumonia having been stamped out. He thought that more persons interested in agriculture should join the society, as hitherto the society had been carried on by a few members. Mr. Lamb also referred to the excellent quality of wheat grown in this province. He suggested the advisability of sending a copy of the report to the Chairmen of the Road Boards, so that a knowledge of the aims and proceedings of the association might be circulated as "widely as possible. The report and balance-sheet were then adopted, and the following gentlemen chosen office-bearers for the ensiling year :— President: Mr. James Dilirorth. VicePresident: Mr. John Lamb. Treasurer: Mr. William McLaughlin. Committee: Messrs. J. Bainbridge. W. F. Buckland, J. M. Clark, Robert Hall, A. Buckland, T. Morrin, Joseph Banks, R. McLean, James Wallace, A. Anderson, Robert Bent, C. T. Wren, D. Nolan, P. Lawrie, Robert Proud, W. S. Styak, Joseph May, Charles Storey, Major Jackson, Henry Reynolds, John Phillips, and — Gifford. CHEESE-MAKING. The following report, from a friend of Mr. Thomas Morrin, relative to cheese-making in America, was read for the benefit of the members :—

I give you herewith an account of the Eatonville Factory, Herkimer County, New York State: Mr. Smith, manager. Cheese-making commenced this year (1879) on March 22m1, and mil close in December. Five hundred and seventy-five cows, from eighteen farms, supply the milk, which is delivered at the factory at 8.30 a.m and at 8 p.m. some travelling two miles from tho farm. The milk from each farm is tested against trickery, but no allowance is made for quality. The night's milk is chilled. The milk, after being weighed, is warmed up to 84 degrees. The rennet is then added, and the milk stands for an hour. The curd is then broken for from sixty to seventy-five minutes. After the curd is broken it is put into tho sink; tho whey goes back to the farm. The curd remains in the press for fifteen hours. It is broken by hand, except when sour, and then the mill is used. In the spring and fall the farmers skim the night milk and mix witii morning's milk before delivering. The fresh made cheese is put into a room with a temperature of 70 degrees, remains there from 30 to GO days, and is then sold off for consumption. The weight of tho cheese is about fiGlbs. An account of milk delivered is entered to each man, upon which his shore in the bulk is computed. Cheese sells in L ttle Falls by reputation; it is sold in Monday's market in town, delivered on Tuesday and exported. Prices have been in 1830 as low as 5 cents in September, they were 71 cents, in May, tho average price in 1878 was 8J cents. The hours of labour are not shortcommencing at 4.30 a.m. and ending at 10 p.m. About 10,000 to 17,000 pounds of milk are worked daily, producing about a pound of cheese fit for sale from 10 pounds of milk. In the month of October a pound of cheese has been got from Sj pounds of milk, a gallon of milk is taken to weigh Slbs 9ozs. —Albert Clare. Mr. Lamb said that in some places in America, instead of all coming into town, tho dairy farmers clubbed together and divided into separate runs, with much benefit. Votes of thanks to the Chairman and Secretary concluded the business of the meeting.