SKIMMINGS.

New Zealand Mail, 5 February 1902, Page 52

SKIMMINGS.

There is an impression, in Australia, founded on the communications of \*&- vernment agents, that there is a splendid opening in the North of England lor colonial butter. • * * •

Midland firms recently told a colonial representative that they would be prepared, to do business with the colonies direct in the matter of purchasing butter, but they would not- do business sec-ond-hand and through a London agent. * * ■* # *

A report in the ‘‘Daily Despatch,” East London, South Africa, giving the particulars of a sale of a herd of thirtyseven cows, shows that the prices realised ranged from £24 10s to £36 per head, the average being £3l 3s. Fifteen of the cows were in milk, twelve of them had not calved, and the remainder were dry. *****

The “Oamaru Mail” is informed that the North Otago Dairy Factory Company paid away no less than £2200 last month to suppliers of milk. This month the amount is expected to reach £3OOO. Practically all this money (the paper adds) goes to the small farmer, and the figures quoted for a bad season show pretty plainly what the dairying industry is doing for the district. It is no exaggeration to say that, before long, dairying will supplant all other industries as the mainstay of the small farmer in this district. * -r * » *

One of the most remarkable features of the present dairy produce season is the great falling-off in the shipments of Victorian butter to London, a decline of fifty per cent, being recorded already. By the end of the season it is anticipated that not more than 5800 tons will have been supplied, as against 11,351 tons for last season. In the 1890-1900 season the shipments amounted to 12,635 tons. There has been an increase in the shipments to Australia, but this is trifling compared to the remarkable falling-off of the London shipments. Altogether the daily industry in Victoria does not present a very promising outlook.

The Victorian Department of Agriculture has instituted a very necessary test in connection with the butter exported from that colony—analyses of the moisture and boric acid percentages. Twelve samples were tested recently, and the average percentage of moisture found in the twelve varieties was 12.51 per cent, (a higher percentage than has been recorded for New Zealand butter), and of boric acid 0.517 per cent. As the maximum recently agreed upon by the Preservatives Committee of the House of Commons was 0.5 per cent., the Victorians are sailing close to the wind. * * * * *

It is said to be a custom among the wholesale dairy produce trade of London to remove the brands from the ends of colonial butter boxes. The reason given is that other merchants, travellers or representatives, who are, perhaps, handling some of the same butter should have no knowledge of it, because there are instances where two original brands are in the hands of two different firms, one will, perhaps, take the other’s trade away by selling to the retailer at little, or, perhaps, no profit. It is also thought that the reason for doing it is to prevent shopkeepers tracing the place of origin and dealing direct with the factory.

There is much more in the ability of the factory manager than the cooperative factory director imagines—somehow the factory proprietor generally recognises the need of a man having a thorough knowledge cf his work and pays for it accordingly, Recently a co-operative factory was started iu a certain district in the North Island, and a man was secured—cheap, of course—and provided with a brand-new, up-to-date plant, and this being installed in an equally new factory it was anticipated (especially as there were no old cow yards and sheds to contend against by the newly-fledged dairyman) that, a fine quality of butter would be turned out, certainly nothing below 90 points. Thp actual result, however, was very different. The resulting butter was a poor, third-grade article, with almost every mechanical defect apparent. It ns a matter beyond comprehension that with the best expert advice of the Dairy Commissioner, the co-operative directorates do not take advantage of Ins services. *****

Feed a good cow liberally with fresh palatable feeding stuffs. Do not change these suddenly. Provide pure water in abundance.

# t # * * Immediately after the milking is finished remove the milk from the cowshed to a clean, sweet, well-ventilated room, free from smells and dust. Never on any account allow the milk to stand in a place where there are bad smells or inadequate ventilation. * • » » »

It is unquestionably better for cattle raisers to finish their cattle well before sending them to market. There is a point, however, beyond which it will

not pay to feed, and fanners and stockmen should endeavour to find out just at what time they can make the most money on their investment. • • • * a

It is advisable to whitewash the cowshed once or twice a year, in order to keep everything sweet and clean. Sand plaster can be recommended for sprinkling in the gutters daily, to keep the drainage from becoming offensive. * * * # *

Cows cannot yield large supplies of milk without suitable materials from which to make it, and cattle capable of producing it cannot use the coarse fare fed to the lower grades of stock to good advantage. Neither can they withstand the exposure which common stock endures without discomfort and injury.

The English dairymen are moving for greater consolidation in their work. Here and there in the past has existed a number of dairymen’s associations. Other asociations with similar objects are denominated cow-keepers’ associations. Thirteen societies of the two descriptions have now organised a combine, the objects of which are stated to be:— “(1) To place dairymen and cowkeepers in a position to defend their interests when assailed, to resist unfair legislative and other encroachments, and to obtain legislative and other redress of trade grievances. (2) To promote the formation of trade associations in plaoes where none exist. (3) To co-operate with other trade associations in all questions of common interest, and to do all things necessary and proper in the interest of the trades of dairymen and cowkeepers.” • • » • •

The man that takes the greatest pride in his herd bull (says a writer in the “Agricultural World”) is the man who has the best cattle, and the man who gets the best prices for his offspring. I know one man who keeps his bull tied by the horns. Go to the pasture, and you will find a lot of upliorned, thin-ribbed, thin-fleshed, peaked cows. Look at his calves, and you find them just what you expect from a bull kept_ in that way and cows in that condition. That man is always complaining that he cannot get good prices for his cattle. My observation has been, further, that the condition and the general health and appearance of the herd bull oftentimes influence a buyer to purchase a calf from that bull, where under other circumstances he would not think of it. If you can take a prospective buyer and show him a good bull, in good, thrifty health, good condition and generally attractive, you will find that- that makes a great inipression upon the customer, and he will P a _'L - you a little extra price to get a calf from that bull.