Butter for Export.

Otago Witness, Issue 1899, 26 June 1890, Page 8

Butter for Export.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — In yours of to-day I notice Mr T. Mackenie's (M.H.R.) letter, whereiu he gives his authorities for recommending butter being shipped in the refrigerator, and also the results of some tests of butter that had been kept in cool cellars as againbt samples refrigerated ; after reading which I am still of the same opinion that I gave in my former letters, and, indeed, always have done And in stating this so positively, perhaps you will allow me space to give Mr Mackenzie and your readers good and sufficient reasons for so doing. Cream of average richness, Dr Voelcker says, contains : Water ... „. ... 6i'BO Butter (pure fatty matter) ... 25 40 Oaseini' mid milk sugar ... ... 761 Mineral matter (ash) ... „| 2-19 100 00 This converted into butter, as we get it on our tables, shows from 10 to 18 per cent of water, he says ; but I find Professor Willard gives ib as follows : — Water ... ... ... 15-21 Pure fafc ... ... ... 83-75 Caseine ... ... ... -44 Ash salt ... ... ... '60 100 CO Now this caseine and water uini nsh Bull, on exposure to the air, rapidly changes into glycerine aud butyrio acid, — caproic acid

and oaprylic acid acting on the volatile fatty matters of butter just as vaccine matter does on a child's arm. Result: Rancid butter. And Dr Voelcker tells us that good cheese, cix months old, contains on an average : Water ... ... ... 30-10 Fat ... ... ... ... 36-00 Oaselne ... ... ... 2818 Ash ... ... • ... ... 4-31 Sugar ... ... ... I'OS Salt ... ... .» ' ... 135 100-00 And Professor ling, whom Mr T. Mackenzie quotes, gives this last as correct so far as he knows. 1 Now when I speak of what is the result of my own experience in dealing with butter in Canada, I am not theorising. It was a question of dollars and cents with us. You remember I said in my letter that Mr Mackenzie refers to, " that any butter we had left in spring had to be sold as soap grease, no matter how good it might have boeu in the winter time." The effect of froat on butter and cheese is to increase that water which it contains, and in doing so (as yeast does on bread) expands and breaks the grains of it, and has a more powerful effect for evil on the caseine, ash, sugar, and salt. Pork, beef, or fish is saved by removal of pickle in spring, and fresh put on, otherwise it won't keep. But in the case of butter its action on the grain of it and the components completely destroy it, and so also is its effect on cheese. This is the result of my own experience long before Professors Arnold, Willard, or Voelcker published the results ofjiheirs, which I find better written, but exactly similar to my own — "Give us pure butter fat, and we find little trouble in keeping it good." This, by the way, Mr Mackenzie mentions as the result of some tests given by the Messrs Page and Sons, of some refrigerated and some that had been merely kept cool in oellars. Just fancy what those cellars will most likely contain ! Dead rats, soap grease, skins, and such rubbish ; shipped to that wonderful place " London " ; and I suppose the cellars or storerooms of Liverpool aud Glasgow are similar. The same remarks will apply to the cool chamber of the steamer. Butter and cheese should be stowed by themselves, and the temperature much lower than I fear is the case, judging from an article that I saw in yours of the 11th in reference to some cheese that had been sent Home in the cool chamber and as cargo, being both touched. I wrote the mnker thereof same day it appeared, that the cheese must either have been touched ere it was shipped or the temperature in the cool chamber was not kept low enough, and that it was a matter should be seen to at once. I don't like encroaching too much on your space by adding anything further in proof of what I insist should be done as to making, inspecting, putting up, and shipping both butter and cheese, if we are to take the place we should do in the Home or any other markets we may send them to ; and in saying so I feel satisfied that Mr Mackenzie would agree with me that had he extended his visit to Montreal and interviewed the inspector there, the latter would no doubt have astonished him with the results they obtain labouring under so many disadvantages to what we do here. — I am, &c., June 13. W. D. Sutherland.