THE RUTTER AND CHEESEMAKER.

New Zealand Mail, 15 February 1900, Page 6

THE RUTTER AND CHEESEMAKER.

: The elaborate investigations which have been made into the growth of [ferments and the changes which they effect in milk Throw a flood of light"on tlie necessitv of cleanliness—absolute cleanliness—-in aft factory operations.- Careful makers have found out the necessity there is to thoroughly scaur all utensils Used in thenwork, but- could they observe tlie insidious and rapid growth of these intangible forms of life they would be even more strenuous in their endeavours after cleanliness. \ , * w . . *. , '« if It Ls gratifying to know that experts are sometimes, appreciated at their true, wor , t ]>- - This is certainly the case so far as Mr Kinsella is concerned." -Golden opinions of liis intensely practical lessons and advice come from every district he has visited. This is the highest testimony a man can receive as to his work and must he gratifying to Mr Kinsella and the department he represents. 1 i . In the past it has been too often the custom to sneer at the* advice given bv instructors, though the good work done by Instructor Sawers has been, we are glad to know, acknowledged by those factories who have been wise enough to accept his sound practical demonstrations. In these two instructors Mr Rudha? certainly very able lieutenants. With Mr Robertson—Babcock Test Expert (if we may be permitted to dub him

so) —they make as .flue a staff for a dairy School as a man Could wish to have. * * i - * ~ *

Bv-tlie-way,/when are we going to hear something more about the school ? Has the item* been pigeon-holed ? . Or perhaps the need is to be met by-making arrangements with certain co-operative companies hoturntheir factories ipto; schools during'.the wnter mpntjis. - If. this is the .intention,- we. would point out that the winter, factory school will be but a poor subtsitute. True,.makers may then have an opportunity of . attending, but is there so much to be learnt by the majority of makers about manufacture under the most favourable conditions; —as would be the case with winter milk—-that tuition in’a dairy school should be necessary for them ? TV hat they want to learn is how to overcome defects in milk during the niost trying months of the year. Making with good milk is simplicity itself; but in those months when “ fishy ” is tlie most dreaded word in the language to the maker he certainly does need some assistance. *** * . *

And the whole end of the dairy school surely not in giving lessons in sound theory and practice to experienced men. Its most important work, we should think, is to discover the most successful method of manufacturing butter to meet the requirements of the 'best class of the London trade—a. perfectly uniform'and well-made article_of a clean nutty flavour. To show .also, by practical illustrations, whether pasteurisation is necessary for our trade, or hot; the proper preparation and use of starters ;• tlie correct- ripening and working temperaturesthe best kind of water filter for factory purposes, etc. The records of all this work could be .made known to. those, makers who coidd not attend the school during tlie summer months at the conferences of makers which we hope to see held again this year, under Mr Ruddick’s direction. * * * * *

That the dairy school is not already working is not, we are sure, the fault of Air Ruddick. for that gentleman sets great store on the work which tlie school is capable of doing for the industry. He knows what good daily schools have accomplished for Canadian" makers, and is anxicus to secure the same benefits for New Zealand makers. Mr Ritchie, too, is fully alive to the necessity for tlie school. If we remember rightly, it was Mr Roddick’s special qualification for inaugurating such an establishment which made his appointment as Commissioner such an eminently suitable one. The school was wanted —decided on—the director and lieutenant secured, sites were considered. plant selected—but a break in some part of the machinery has taken place, and dairymen are being left to struggle under many disadvantages against stronger competitors on tlie most critical market in the world. » * * * »

Tlie neglect of wiring cheese case ends is very poor economy. We noticed a line recently of forty or fifty cases, some of which had been damaged so much that it cost the secretary of the National Dairy Association ten shillings for repairs—more than what it would have cost to wire the ends in tlie first place. Mr Beattie is kept busy some days of heavy shipments seeing to brqken cases and to repairing them. If liis time was considered. the cost of repairing would fully double the wiring cost. ■