NEW ZEALAND BUTTER AT HOME.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3442, 25 May 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER AT HOME.

BETTER PROSPECTS IN FUTURE. IT WILL YET TOP THE MARKETS'. [By Ode Travelling Contributor.] Happening to meet the foreign representative of a firm of dairy produce merchants carrying on business in London, I bad a chat with him on the prospects of the dairy produce trade at Hume. I elicited from him the opinion, based, as he informed me, on careful observation and an accurate knowledge of (he tendency of the colonial butter trade, that the time will come, and before veiy long, when Danish butter will no longer bold the highest place, as it now undoubtedly' does. When asked to give his reasons, he pointed out that in Denmark, at present, the best possible use is made of every aid to the increase of the milk supply and the improvement of the quality of the butter. “ There is little doubt,” be added, “that of all butterexporting countries, Denmark can boast of the most scientific methods and the most advanced system. Her manufacturers are thoroughly up in the very latast knowleoge appertaining to bacteriological development. The admitted excellence of their butter and cheese is chiefly due to the action of

bacteria, used in the manufacture, producing the ideal flavour required, which is so universally popular in the Home market. Thus, you see, the manufacture of butter is now very different from what it was prior to the scientific discoveries which have, so to speak, revolutionised a simple every-day process familiar to the occupants of almost every farm*house in Great Britain. Butter-making has now become a scientific process, and the result has proved indisputably that it foreign butter is to take a high place in the London market, it must be made accorcing to the methods for which the popu'ar taste has demonstrated its partiality.” “ Did you notice an article in this week’s issue of the New Zealand Mail giving a report of an interview with Mr Jorgensen in regard to the pasteurising process 1 ” “ Yes. I read it coming up in the train to day, and found it very inlei eating indeed. That gentleman is evidently thoroughly up in his subject, and had all the details of scientific treatment at his fingers’ ends. It is knowledge of that kind which should lie widely disseminated, though I fe„r New Zealand will not very readily adopt the most advanced theories.” “ Why do you think so 1 ”

“For this reason chiefly; Your farmers in this highly-flavouied land, I imagine, scarcely realise how well off in some respects they really are. They have such a beautiful climate, such a mild winter, normally such an abundance of grass, and such a fertile soil for root-crop production,'that they have an incalculable advantage over countries where the cows have to be housed and stall-fed more than half the year. Your milk suppliers depend mainly on the rich grasses for the quality and flavour of the butter, while the Danish manufacturer has to call to his aid scientific discoveries in order to place him in anywhere near the same position And yet with all the im proved methods of manufacture, the stall feeding, and the utilisation of bacterial development, the best Danish butter does not sell wholesale for more than about 4s or 5s per cent higher than the best New Zealand. You are not aware, perhaps, that the public taste all over Europe has undergone a great change in regard to the colour and general appearance of butter. I remember Mt Jorgenson referred to • sweet, and ‘*sour,’ or fermented butter. Well, it is the * sweet ’ butter, of the colour and appearance of cream, that is now irr favour. There is no longer the demand for strong flavoured, highlycoloured butter. Danish butter is about the Lint of ordinary cream, not any darker. ]n many parts of Great Britain, and more particularly in Scot* land, highly-flavoured butter will not sell, no matter how good the quality. I was told by a friend of mine at Home that the high colour and pronounced flavour of New Zealand huttei is attributed there to the abnormal richness of its pastures, which in his opinion will in course of time come to resemble to a greater degree those in the Homs Country. I maintain that New Zealand is an ideal dairying country, and were her unsurpassed natural advantages utilised to the fullest extent, backed up by the application of modern scientific knowledge, no country in the world could come near her as regards butter making ”

“But Denmark still rules tho market t ”

“ Yes, for several reasons, to some of which I have referred. But I am still convinced that the day for colonial butter to come into greater favour is fast approaching. New Zealand has advantages that Denmark has not, but on the other hand I must say that those advantages are not utilised to anything like the extent which they ought to be. The Danish farmers are exceptionally frugal and industrious, and have to be so, to make ends meet. They are thus able to produce as cheaply as I believe it is possible to do. I may also point cut that we are behind them in our system of export, distribution and sale, though I think those are matters that are being rapidly improved on. I am inclined to the opinion that the higher prices which Danish butter realises is attributable, to a great extent, to tho simple fact that their- systems of distribution and sale are better than ours, and I think our produce agents at Home should trot be above taking a leaf out of their took.”

“Do you think pasteurising wil evenlua'ly become universal r l ’’ “I hope to live to see it become so I notice that Mr Jorgenson pointer out what it had brought about at tin Euroa factory, in Victoria. And his opinion corroborates miae, that whor in New Zealand the best systems ol manufacture are adopted, and resource is had to the most modern scientific methods, this grand colony must tin. doubtedly command the highest price for its dairy produce exports in the London markets. No doubt its pro ducers and manufacturers leave much to learn, but the experience of other countries has proved that it is worth lerrning. I can forsse a verj keen competition about to take place in the dairy produce trade at Home, and I am convinced that Dtnish butter is not always to hold its present foremost position in the market. All that New Zealand has to do is to make the best possible use of these special advantages which she possesses, and to keep in touch with the very latest developments in scientific butter-making. When in Australia recently I found a similar opinion gaining ground there with regard to that country, and the experience of the Euroa factory furnishes practical proof that it is no iiile beast. To my mind New Zealand should be a better country than Australia for the remunerative carrying on of the dairy industry, excepting, perhaps, in some of the most favoured parts on the seaboard of that vast continent, throughout which, as a rule, droughts and other harmful visitations prevail: to a much greater extent than in this colony. I hope to live to see the day when New Zealand butter will occupy the foremost position on the London market, which the Danish article does now. Thera is no earthly reason why it should not. There is not a condition required but is altogether in her favour.”