A NEW ENVELOPE FOR BUTTER BOXES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1756, 1 November 1905, Page 59

A NEW ENVELOPE FOR BUTTER BOXES.

An invention which promises to bo valuable to butter exporters, and therefore, to the dairy industry generally, has recently been brought before the experts and pronounced upon in high terms of praise. It consists of a strawboard envelope, specially prepared with paraffin wax and other substances, according to the Bishop-Marks method. The envelope is to go inside the butter boxes to prevent the sap or other elements in certain kinds of timber from being absorbed by the butter during export, and so completely does it- do this, it is said, that butter can with impunity he packed in cases saturated with kerosene, if the envelope be used. An experiment made by the inventors has den: onstrated the fact that the paraffin wax preparation used to cover the strawboard with, will hold sulphuric acid, a chemical which can eat its way into most substances of this kind. The value of this invention, which is now being; operated by a syndicate, and is already being put into practical use — some exporters having given orders fori cases to be supplied to them—cannot be Avell over-estimated, should it prove equal to anticipations—and experts say there is no doubt about it. Only certain kinds of timber can, under ordinary circumstances, be for butter export, New Zealand pine being the variety mostly adopted. This timber*. hoAvever, is on the decline in the matter of supply; hence the envelope comes at a good time to solve a difficulty hereanent that seemed to be looming in the distance. Other timbers —Victorian andl Queensland— are cheaper, and would be used but for the trouble of sap and resinous /flavour from them when not fully seasoned; and the new envelopes, it is asserted, will make it possible to use almost any kind of Avood, whether seasoned' or not. The prepared lining, or envelopes, cost 2d each, and boxes costing Bjd each, can be used with them, making a total of 10Jd for both packages The boxes of special timber cost Is l|d each; hence a saving of 3d per package is here effected. It is said by the syndicate that by means of the new idea some a year can be saved, to the dairying industry of Australia. Specimens of the complete cases With envelope enclosure, will be on view at the Melbourne ShoAV in September. —“Town and Country.”