FARM TOPICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25030, 21 October 1944, Page 5

FARM TOPICS

PUKEKOHE VEGETABLES DEPARTMENT OVERWHELMED Disagreement with statements concerning the production of vegetables at Ptikekohe, made during the debate on the Department of Agriculture estimates in the House of Representatives this week, is expressed by Mr H. Burrows, of Ptikekohe, and vice-president of the Dominion Council of Commercial Gardeners. Mr Burrows stated that the Minister in referring to the Ptikekohe Production Committee's scheme, which produced an additional 10(H) acres of vegetables for the forces, said that the vegetables delivered equalled only 4.3 tons an acre. Later the member for Roskill stated that production of the commercial growers concerned totalled only 3.9 tons, as compared with 4.4 tons an acre from the State gardens. Produce Left to Rot "The truth of the matter," said Mr Burrows, "is that the Department of Agriculture wa.s overwhelmed with the production from the area and the officers were not able to handle the vegetables' produced. The result was that wo were obliged to market a large proportion in the ordinary way for civilian consumption, while the balance not taken by the department was left to rot in the fields and was later paid for on the instruction of the War Cabinet.

"The figures quoted by the Minister and Mr Richards represented only that portion of production taken by the department and not the actual yield an acre. For instance, the department was not able to handle the 100 tons of tomatoes grown for it and these were delivered direct to the Auckland condimentors. Again, it could not handle the potato crop grown on contract, and at the request of the Government we marketed most of the tonnage through the local produce merchants for civilian consumption. Indeed, so helpful were our efforts in this direction that we were later asked to market contract cabbages at a time when those were bringing Is Gd per 7 ■ > <ack in the Auckland markets. Officers Thought In Pounds "The Ptikekohe Production Committee's scheme was so successful and the tonnage so heavy that the departmental officers were flabbergasted and totally unable to cope with the output," stated Mr Burrows. In support of this contention he produced a copy of a letter sent to the Prime Minister on the subject in February, 1943. In this the committee stated in part: "Our production is just about what we anticipated but it seems to have staggered the department. While we have been thinking in thousands of tons their vision does not seem to rise above mere pounds and we are being asked to fill orders for 101b of tomatoes and 301b of onions."

FROZEN MILK PROCESS NEW CONCENTRATED PRODUCT A process for 'making frozen concentrated milk, developed by two research workers at the Pennsylvania State College, is being considered by the United States Government as a means of providing fresh milk for patients in hospital ships. _ Whether it nas possibilities for the New Zealand dairy industry will no doubt be investigated. The product may be manufactured in any dairy plant equipped with an evaporator, homogeniser and ice-cream freezer. The process is the same as evaporation for canning, following by freezing to a mushy consistency in the ice-cream freezer and further freezing in a storage room 10 degrees below zero Fahrenheit after packaging. It is defrosted and diluted to fluid consistency by putting the frozen block direct into hot water. If the water is equal in volume to the frozen milk, a product resembling reduced, or coffee, cream is obtained. With twice as much water, standard milk is produced, scarcely distinguishable from the fresh product and without the oily consistency which resulted from earlier attempts to freeze milk commercially. It is thought that the process may be of value for holding surplus milk from the flush of a season until the later period of reduced supply. At some future date it may be possihle to distribute the treated milk in the same manner as other frozen food products.

CANADIAN PRODUCTION REDUCED BUTTER RATION The dry summer in Canada cut into the Ontario and Quebec butter production. For the fourth time this year the Wartime Price Board has reduced tiie butter ration b.v postponing the validity of coupons. The normal ration of lib'fortnightly has to last three weeks. Sales of cream by distributors have been limited, in 80 principal markets to the amount sold in June. Butter stocks at September 1 were 11.500,0001b below 1943. Ration reduction will be applicable until virtually the end of the year. The Bureau of Statistics estimates the 1944 wheat crop to be approximately 448,000,000 bushels, which is the third largest in the war period. This exceeds the 1943 estimate by 154,000,000 bushels.

SHARE-MILKING RESULTS DIVISION OF THE CHEQUES "Those who are sponsoring the 55-45 basis of dividing the dairy cheques as between milkers and owners appear to be under the impression that the allocation of 55 per cent of the total cheque gives the milker a lead of 10 per cent on the owner,'" states Mr A. .T. Sinclair, secretary-manager of the To Awamutu Dairy Company, in a memorandum to members of the South Auckland Dairy Association. In practice, Mr Sinclair stated, that method gave the milker a lead of £lO on each £45 paid to the owner, so that the milker would get £122 4s 6d for each £IOO paid to the owner as his share of the proceeds from the herd. The 55-45 basis of allocation, therefore, gave the milker a lead of just over 22 per cent on the owner in the distribution of the dairy cheques, if those who were sponsoring the />5-45 basis had in mind a preference of 10 per cent to the sharemilkor, the dairy cheques should be divided in a proportion which would give £llO to the milker for each £IOO received by the owner. To secure that result the dairy cheques should be divided in the proportion of 52i per cent to the milker and 47$ per cent to the owner. The lead of £5 which the milker had under that arrangement on each sum of £47 10s paid to the owner was equivalent to 10$ per cent. "In view of the recent increase of 2.12 d per lb butter-fat," states Mr Sinclair. "it is debatable whether the present 50-50 basis between owners and milkers should he disturbed, but even if it should be conceded that the milker is entitled to preference of 10 per cent over the owner in the distribution of the dairy cheques, the basis gives this result."