THE DAIRY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 826, 30 December 1887, Page 18

THE DAIRY.

Dairy Farms and their

Products.

90W TO MAKE THEM PAY.

(By ‘ An Expert.’) , Specially written forthe New Zealand Mail.

NO. 2.—THE BUTTER, TRADE.

I shall not attempt in this article to offer any advice as to the making of buiter, nor of the various new appliances now in vogue in the older world used in its production, be. lieving that dairy farmers in New Zealand can, with the skill at their command, make as good a sample of butter as could be fouud in any part of the world. As the flavor and bouquet of butter differs very much in the various countries it is made in the older world, so does it in New Zealand, and, as a matter of course, this de. pends upon the food consumed by the cattle. To those who have travelled at any length on the Continent of Europe it has been easy to distinguish what country you were in by the flavor of the butter. Thus in Denmark, or the neighboring countries of Norway and Sweden, the butter, especially if made in the very early spring or late autumn, will have a peculiar and distinctly waxy flavor ; the reason being that grass being scarce the cattle eat readily of a moss or liohen, abundant in those, countries, which produces the differences in flavors.

Again in Holland, the true homeofdelicious butter, the article made in the spring has the sweet odor of rich vernal grass mingled with a faint perfume of flowers. Go further south and taste the butter made in the uplands of Switzerland and a faint bitter taste is observed, for this is the land where the blue gentian flower flouristes, and at times is eagerly realished by the cows. It is so in. New Zealand. In some of the newly settled districts, say up the far north, the dairy farmer long before his hardly won paddocks have recovered from the ‘ burn,’ and before the English grass has had time to show its head above the aßhesof the burn, he buys so many head of cattle and turns them loose into the half cleared bush. Here, where no grass save native wiwi is found, the cattle have to feed on the dense undergrowth of the bush. And in many cases they come across the juicy kernels of the karaka tree, which are to them a delicious dessert. These karaka berries give a most disagreeable flavor to the milk, and consequently the butter, and anyone who has visited the districts where the karaka trees are abundant, will never forget their first taste of karakaflavored butter.

In considering the question of how to make the butter trade pay a fair return, it is as well to say a few words about the condition of butter in New Zealand at the present time. Farmers are grumbling, especially on the west coast of the North Island, that they cannot get a fair remunerative price for their butter, especially fresh butter. There is the difficulty too, in many cases, of getting it to a proper market. It is not every settler who has a direct communication with the large centres of population, and his production is often, too large for local consumption. Hence the butter trade has a sort of depressing effect upon him whenever it is mentioned. Then there is the class who ‘pot’ or eat their batter into kegs, and, having supplied the local colonial demand, have lately tried the experiment of shipping it Rome, where, in a few cases, it has met with fair prices. But the export trade at present is on such a small scale that it cannot be said to be profitable, and at present the trade done has only been an experimental trial.

There is not the slightest doubt that our farmers can produce the finest qualities of butter, more especially on the rich grazing farms which have for some years been laid down in English grasses. It will perhaps be as well here to remind dairy farmers of the great importance of paying sufficient attention to the quality of the grass they lay down. I qhall in another part of this or a succeeding article give from the best authorities the proper combination of grasses calculated to produce the richest and i best flavored milk. It should also be borne in mind that cattle allowed to feed in the native bush are very liable to pick up foliage of an aromatic flavor, which will give the butter a peculiar ‘twang,’ which might render it unpalatable to foreign consumers.

Hence batter for export should be the pro. duct of entirely grass-fed cowsThere is great reason to believe that cattle in New Zealand, that is, in the northern part of the North Island, where grass is plentiful all the year round, and are not stall-fed, are much healthier than cows in the old country, where, with strong-tasted swedes, xnangelwurzel, oil cake, and other highly-flavored foods, the butter is apt totake an artificial or unnatural taste. After an experience of butter tasting in all parts of the United Kingdom, and in nearly every dairy district on the Continent of Europe, Canada, and the United States of America,, I am of a decided opinion that some of the best butter I ever ate in my life has been from the west ooast of the North Island, and such butter as can be produced there should find a ready and almost unlimited market in the older world.

Let us assume then that our farmers can produce good butter. The next point to consider is how to dispose of it on a profitable scale.

As the time has arrived when the butter trade should assume export proportions, our farmers must be prepared to somewhat change their tactics and get ready for an increased trade.

Some butter sent Home has realised; after paying all expenses, only a moderate profit, and several of the shippers, or rather makers have been dissatisfied with the results ; but this one important point should be borne in mind—that small profits with a large output are far better in the long run than larger profits with a smaller consumption. It is more profitable to make 200 pounds of butter per week and get sixpenceperpound for it, than to make 50 pounds and get ninepence for it, for the ratio of the extra trouble in making the larger quantity, amply repaid by the larger income, is but trifling compared with the pleasing results. .Let us suppose then, that our farmers are prepared to turn out butter on an export scale. The first question is, where is the market ? and then the still more important question should be asked, what does that market require ?

It is easy enough to make butter and pack it into kegs, and ship it Home ; that requires but fit tie mental ingenuity, but whether the Home market at the time that butter arrives is wanting butter in kegs or butter in other shaped packages, or whether that market is open at all for the article, are matters that require some knowledge and some careful consideration.

Let us look first at the lequirements of the London market, for as that city is the biggest entrepot in the world, it is there our producers first turn their eyes. Although London supplies a large part of the United Kingdom with butter, it must be remembered that it is for a certain season of the year only. I am speaking now, it must be remembered, with export and import butter, aud not the local production known as ‘fresh.’ Well, then, in the early part of the spring of the year the first arrivals-of imported butter come from Jersey and the south of Brance. This is generally a mild cured butter, not able to keep long, and is but a little removed from fresh butter. It is packed chiefly in oblong white wicker baskets, bolding from about 20 to 50 pouuds. The basket is lined with butter cloth, andthe butter is compressed into a solid mass. This shape is found very useful to small retail buyers, and as the arrivals are almost daily the retailer is not compelled to hold large stocks. As this butter comes in themarket the earliest of the season—beforethe grass has reached maturity—tiie butter is generally insipid ar.d of a waxy texture. Then immediately afterwards Normandy butter makes its appearance, packed in neat wooden semi-circular shaped pails or boxes, of about 8 to 10 inches in height, and having a tight-fitting wooden lid. The insides of the pails are lined with butter cloth. The butter is firm, of a warm tint, and is rather insipid and slightly waxy. The pails are generally of two-sizes, known as ‘halves ! and ‘ wholes,’ the halves holding about 20 pounds, and the wholes from 40 to 50 pounds. This butter has to have a rapid sale, as it is 'very mild cured. The latter end of March and April is about the time of the year it makes its first appearance, and then it is sent over in immense quantities by every boat. Then shortly afterwards the Dutch or Kiel butter makes it 3 appearance in small round kegs or pails of about 40 pounds weight. This is enveloped in cloth, and generally has a layer of salt about an inch iu thickness at the top and bottom of the keg. The butter is pleasantly yellow, of a fresh delicate flavor, and frequently has a paper label on tHe top of the butter, underneath the lid, with the words ‘ New Milch Butter,’ with a pretty Dutch landscape or other emblematical trade-mark. This class of butter is generally recognised by con) sumers as being the first real new butter of the season, and the ruu on it is very largo.

. About: this- time; too, the- Fleming butter | comes into the market. Although it is known as*Blemish,,it principally com6s from the northern parts of France and some parts of Holland. It is packed in two-pound /oblong rolls,, eaoh roll: wrapped in, butter cloth, and from 20 to 40* rolls packed in a square box. The quality of : these rolls as a rule is medium, and as-it is sold at a low rate it is principally sold by, retailers having : a trade with the poorer class of consumers, who-buy it as-fresh butter.. When the bogus butter known aB ‘ butterine ’ came into the ' trade some ten years-ago in-the old oountry, this was the-favorite shape for the imitation, and as butterine at that time was only a vile imitation, the roll butter got a bad name. Yet immense quantities are sold in the poorer neighborhoods. This roll butter is mild cured, and is net made for long keeping. Now after this,.say-early in May, the Danish butter comes into the market, packed in tan kegs, often bound with iron* hoops, the kegs holding from 50 to 70 pounds. This butter is better cured, and will keep some months. It is of good quality, bright, firm, of a good color, and delicious flavor. Then in May comes the first , consignment, of the famous Cork butters, in firkins, the finest of all the butters imported into London. Of a delicious flavour, bright clear texture, and of bouquet fragnant and fascinating, the first shipment of ‘ Cork mild cured ' is eagerly looked forward -to by the retailers. The Cork butter market is one of the best regulated in the world,,and a splendid system of assorting or classifying the various grades of butter is in vogue, and is strictly carried out. Thus' if a London retail dealer sends an order to an agent-in .Cork for a certain class of butter, he knows he will get Bhipped exactly what he wants. Thus keeping or store butter, or butter suited for export,,is known as firsts, seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths, and sixths, the latter being the lowest grades. These are all long keeping butters, and fetch the lower.rate of prices ; but the finest butters suitable for quick retailing are known as ‘ Cork milds ’ —firsts, seconds, and thirds, the former fetohing the highest price. The kegs contain about 56- pounds of butter, occasionally clothed, and with a layer- of salt top and bottom. About June or? July the ‘Cork mild’ are sufficiently cured to keep for* some months, and it is a common practice for a large retailer, say in the Midland Counties, to stock from 100 to 300 kegs, to last him all through the winter, and iu a cool cellar this butter at Christmas is as good as when it was first put down. The trade done in Irish butter is enormous, and is in full swing from June till August. By that time dealers have stocked their winter supplies, and the imports of butter from tne south-of Europe and as far north as Holland have practically stopped- Tnerefore the best time for New Zealand, new butter to reach the London market would be from November to March, for during that period nothing but ‘ store * butter is obtainable, and new freshly made butter of a high quality would fetch big prices in London. To give an idea of these prices, I. will quote from a trade circular dated London; October 29th, 1887, the rates for imported butters (remembering that they are stock butters, ana therefore should be worth, less than freshly made colonial butters): —‘-Briesland, 112 s to 120 s per cwt Normandy (baskets and pails), 1,17 s to 120 s ; Jersey (baskets ana pails) 90s to 100 s;. Danish, 132 sto 1345.’ Now if this stored butter made say in May; June or July, and kept in stock till the e .d of October, fetched these prices, it stands to reason that new butter (of good quality) from New Zealand delivered in London about the same date,, and not having left the churn before the first of September, should fetch quite as high or even higher prices. Whether the New Zealand farmers consider these prices would pay them or not is not the object of this article. I mention the facts only, and farmers can be guided to think and judge for themselves-

Several consignments of Colonial butter have been placed upon the London market, but the result so far does not warrant the theory at Home that the Colony at present is prepared to develop at onoe a large and satisfactory trade, for the one important reason. The butter so far shipped has. been exported as butter pure and simple without any due regard being placed upon its proper classification. \

Now, in the Cork butter market there-are stringent regulations made by the authorities that all butter for export must be classified by experts, appointed for that purpose, into its several grades. This system, has for its object the proper development of a large butter trade, and the result is this a large butter dealer, say in Manchester; has twenty retail dealers to supply.. No 1. will want the highest class of mild- cured butter. No 2., say, can do with a slightly lower grade, while No 3 has a trade for? what is known as ‘ confectioner’s butter.’ Api a fourth, say for example, requires a, butter for export to a hot climate. Now their retailers give their orders to the wholeaaleman in Manchester in full confidence that he will supply them with what they require ; and this merchant sends the order to. his agent in Cork, knowing full well that: if he orders ‘firsts or seconds mild cured,’ he-gets exactly what he wants, and so on. The result of this authoritative classification ©f butter in the Cork market gives exactly what is wanted to establish a sound trade, namely, Confidence. Now, I hold that until this is dope in Ne®

Zealand it is next to impossible to expect a? to do big things oat of our butter trade. Shipping butter haphazard to London, in. qualities good bad or indifferent, is sufficient to blast any reputation our producers may make.

If the Government have the interest of this oountry at heart, and have a real patriotic wish to encourage the establishment of local , industries, they cannot assist the farmer more in this one item of butter than by establishing a system similar to that in vogue iu Cork. It would not be such a difficult task to do.

Let certain ports be declared butter export ports only, aud let all butter sent down for shipment be tested or tasted by an expert who might be attached to the Customs Department, and let that official classify the butter into its various grades and officially label it so. Or perhaps a better plan would be for butter-shippers to combine into an association and employ an expert to do this work. The result would soon be felt at Home, and the expense amply repaid by the confidence Home buyers would have in knowing exactly what they were buying. But the present method of haphazard shipment is simply ruining the present and future prospects of what might be developed into an immense trade.

One great point butter producers must notice, that is it is simply folly, at present anyhow, to attempt to place fresh butter upon the Home market. Let them develop a cured butter trade, and upon this point I offer the following suggestions. Pack the butter in small casks, say 501 b weight, at first, till a demand is created. The butter should contain about 2 per cent of salt; the kegs should be shipped in a cool chamber—the butter is apt to spoil if frozen. The best temperature to keep butter during the voyage is a uniform 33 to 36 degrees, Butter should be shipped in a chamber devoted to that purpose alone, and not in company with, cheese or meat, for they would have a tendency to injure its flavor. Butter should arrive in London during the months of from November to March only. Butter should be properly classified into firsts, seconds, and thirds, mild cured, and into firsts to fifths or sixths of a class containing a larger proportion of salt. Each quality should be distinctly marked as to its grade. These are some of the principal points at first to be observed in cultivating a butter trade. No doubt other points may crop up . with greater experience in supplying the . London market.

Now with regard to the other markets. . Butter in kegs, intended for India or South, America should have a larger percentage o£3 salt than that shipped for consumption in t Great Britain. It should have at least 4 peiv cent of salt.

There is a great demand not only in India,. China, and Japan, but in the South Ameri--can States for fresh butter packed in tins„..ln< fact the demand is practically unlimited in, those markets, providing the quality is off the highest class. The pick of the butter should be packed in one and two pound.stinsof a round fiat shape, and in larger tinst.sayy of 7lb net weight. This butter should contain about as much salt as is generally used: in ordinary fresh butter in this country. 1 need not point out ho w important itwsvouldl be to have the new tins scalded;, and the seams of the tins should ffiave. th®.solder on the outside. When the,butter is. packed into the tin there should be. no spare, space; the pound net of butter shoaULexactlyfit the tin, and then at once the lid ishoulrL be carefully soldered on. I would.-ipoint oat how necessary it would be that*.the buttershould be as fresh as possible, thatis, it should, be tinned as quickly as possible . after ife is. tnado. The tins should have an .attractive label, tastefully got up in. colors-, and well glazed ; so much depends . upon the-outside get up of any article, especially far,-tropical and semi tropical climates* The tins could be packed in square boxes-similar to-salmon or lobster cases. I favor cf a tinned butter trade as. a large export business than I arrixof a keg. trade, for these reasons. There is^a.better chance of the butter reaching the consumer in good condition, for if wall made, and carefully tinned butter is as good in .twelve- or eighteen months’ time as it ia*the day, on which it was made, and besides the - demand for tinned butter would be greater than for kegged butter for the reason; that, it eould reach a larger class of consumers.. There is little or no butter made in India,.and high class fresh, butter in tins would meet, with a ready Again, there is a certain demand in London, for butter in. about 71b tins for the use of; vessels. This-demand at the present time is principally supplied by Norway. .One or-tjvo-firms in that country do an enormous trade in tinned butter.

Anyway, I hope; the dairy-farmers in,New Zealand will ponder over the few remarks.X have made, and by joining their forces tp>-getbej-'aee- if they cannot raise the butter trads t>f this Golony into an industry of large dimensions and of a payable nature..