NOTE AND COMMENT

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1511, 14 February 1901, Page 51

NOTE AND COMMENT

One of the most successful dairying investigators living is Professor Farrington, of the Wisconsin College (an institution, by the way, which has proved a blessing to dairymen the world over), and a milk quality test he has recently devised is another good thing dairymen have to thank America for. The test is designed for the purpose of discovering gaseous impurities in milk delivered at factories or creameries. It is a very simple contrivance, and consists of a tin box, 12in long by Bin wide, and 6in deep, open at the top, with a hand grip on each end, and a loose tin cover, perforated with small holes. Into this box is fitted two dozen cylindrical tins, 6in deep and 2in in diameter, and open at the top, similar to coffee tins with the lids off. These small cylinders are filled with samples of milk from suppliers, a teaspoonful of rennet added, and then placed in the box, the box being placed in a moderately warm position, so that the milk will solidify into curd; the. perforated tin cover is placed on, and the wooden cover on the top. When the milk has solidified, the wooden cover is removed, and the box with its contents turned upside down to drain through the perforated tin cover. About two hours later the tin box is removed, and the two dozen cylinders lifted off, leaving the curd in each in perfect shape like small cheese; each of these are sliced in two with a sharp knife, and any taint or gaseous impurities are immediately detected. The samples of curd showing a clean, smooth surface where, cut are from pure milk, while the curd showing a mass of small holes on the cut surface derates gaseous impurities. The farmer at fault is then requested to deliver separate samples from each cow, and these are tested in the same manner, and the faulty cow is discovered; or if all his samples should prove impure, then the fault is with the food or drink Ills cows are consuming or with their surroundings, and this must be rectified.

Though this colony fortunately has not—like the older established dairying countries —had to fight the margarine fraud, that is the selling of margarine or other substitutes as-butter, yet it is well that prompt action should oe taken by the Department in order to prevent the institution of the fraud obtaining a footing in the colony. At the present time we are exporting large quantities of refined mutton and beef to Europe for conversion into margarine, and not long since we noticed, at Stratford, one of the 'most important dairying centres iu the colony, the intimation in a shop window that the proprietors were agents for the mystic ‘•margarine.” Whether they had handled any it was impossible to find out, but there was the announcement staring honest dairymen in the face. To-repress an evil when it is established is a very formidable matter compared to what- it would be in the oase of the evil about to be established. It is to be hoped the Dairy Commissioner will keep his watchful eye upon the possible manufacturers of the bogus article. IT****

The “Live Stock Journal Almanac” for 1901 Is to hand. It contains fifty special articles and numerous illustrations of noted specimens of the leading varieties of domesticated animals. As usual, the articles are of an educative character, written by experts, and conveying a vast amount of information highly useful to those engaged in stock-breed-ing pursuits. There are also carefullycompiled breeders’ tables, lists of societies, fairs, statistics, etc. Taken altogether, the compilation is most comprehensive, embracing a full range of subjects—in fact the whole gamut of domestic animals is run through* giving derails of thoroughbred horses, beef breeds of cattle, dairy herds, sheep, swine, poultry, and dogs. From the information given, it appear* that the average price obtained for 579 Shire horses sold during the year was £lO9

8s 3d, and for 1900 onorthorns £32 19s 9d, both showing an enhanced value a.s compared with 1899. The exportation of Shortnorns from Great Britain is stated to nave exceeded any previous year. Of Hereford cattle 228 were exported in nine months, and of Lincoln sheep 3766.