GOVERNMENT DAIRY SCHOOL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2168, 12 September 1895, Page 6

GOVERNMENT DAIRY SCHOOL.

(Special to the Witness.) Stratford, August 26. Although the dairy school is to close this week a few more students continue to arrive, and the total number of names entered is 108. On the afternoon of Monday (the 26bh) Mr MacEwan gave a short lecture on milk tetting and payment according to quality. Iv comparing the present Bystom of payment with the one advocated at the school, be took as an example the price offered by some factories for the coming season— viz., 2^d for 10£lb testing 3 6 per cent., which we shall find on working out is equivalent to 6£d and a very small fraction per lb of fat. In working on the gallon system, if the milk tests either above or below the standard quality, ifc is neces'ary to first fiud the value of the 10£lb of milk, and after that proceed to work out the amount due, whereas if payment by the lb of fat is adopted the work ia much simplified, as the following example v»ill fchow :—: — Milk Supplied dy Mn A. tor One Month. 11* Composite lb of Fat. Te*t. First week ... 32-10 ... 30 = 9720 Second week ... 4503 ... 35 = 159 70 Third week ... 4781 ... 315 = 172 11 Fourth week ... 5500 ... 34 « WOO 61G01 616 011b fat, at Gid = £16 13s Bd. If in the above instance we were paying by the gallon, as there is only oce tc3b of the standard adopted, it would be necessary first to ascertain the equivalent value of the other three quantities to 3 6 per cent, milk, and after that proceed to work out the amount due. In the case of a factory having fixed the above rate, or indeed any other, for payment next season, it is only necessary for them to find firflt of all the value of lib of fat, and then work id cut on that basis, although nominally paying so much per gallon. Another point is that our factories should be conducted on a sound commercial baßis. Buying milk is more or less a speculation, and no doubt the better plan is that usually adopted iv CaDada, the cheese beiug made for so much per lb, to cover working expenses, interest on capital, depreciation, &c. A first- class marketable article is guaranteed, and the milk sappliers get whatever there is after expenses are paid. On this system there is little, if any, danger of a factory being unable to pay its way. Tuesday, August 27. Mr Finn, secretary of the National Dairy Association, Wellington, spoke this afternoon iv the lecture room. He thought much benefit would be derived fi^m theie schools, and thanks were due to tbe department. He understood they were to be the foreruuners of experiment 1 *! stations, which were capable of doing very useful work impossible to be effected at dairy factories. If members were te obtain full benefit from the association in the matter of ordering goeds, they should make up their orders in plenty of time. Indent in February or March, and in this way tht.y would save 2d per lb on parchment puper and 10a per civt on salt over buj ing in the colony, besides gelling & fkvu auality. When circulars wets eenfc out

re shipments of cheese and butter for next Feasoo, only one or Wo replies were sent in. I This made it awkward when trying to arrange with the shipping companifs. With regard to \ the dairy buowb, the exhibits were too few, groat apathy being Bhown, and he trusted ruoro i factories would take part in them another year, as they enabled us to compareourchc.se or butter with the best product of other people, which will spur us an to better effort if the comparifou is not very favourable. He considered the functions of the National Dairy Association might fee (xtendod with advnnj tage so as to include milk suppliers, factories, managers, and assistants. Tbiei would make it more educational. As in Canada, thrro might be hon. members at a small subscription ; the country divided into di&tiict9, meetings held, papers read, and discussions on topics interesting to the dairy world inaugurated. Mr Bailey, secretary of the Crown Dairy Factory Company, also spoke. August 28. l Mr MacEwan spoke on genr va\ matters. They must not be satitfi-id with just be'ng able to make buttev and cheese, bub should learn to test milk, run separators, and do the book work connected with a factory correctly. They have been trying hard to get the system of payment by results adopted, as it is one of the best changes to bring about if it can be started on a proper ba«is. Manßgerg must be careful to qualify themselves for the work, ho as to give coufidonce to the suppliers. Iv butter-imbing one of the chief difficulties at tho pic?cnt time appears to be lack of control of temperature. Iv cheese- making the process of working both fa*t and slow has been demonstrated, and care ehonld bo taken not to ov«jrripen milk. The vie of the curd sink, or racks, in vat is recorunieidfd, the whole point beiug ti yet the v.hoy from the curd before allowing it to mat. They intended this spring to send instructors to some of the chief centres to start spring cheesemaking, bo that some of the mauagera from tbe neishbour'ng factories may attend. They required more clear information as to the cist of manufacture, and better records should be kept ' of the results obtained. He hoped the suggestions re grading would be attended to, aa it will be raiher more strictly carried out this I seat on. A certain amount of inspection of dsiries is to be done, and they will expect managers to bo able to tell inspectors what dairies need visiting. Seeing th&t the aeration of milk is carried out ia chiefly in the hands of managers by rejecting milk of bad quality. Augir-t 29. Mr MacEwau addressed a meeting of the i fanners, Mr War occupying the chair. I enclose you tome notes of the lecture. No milk was taken in to-d-iy. ! In the evening a banquet was tendered to the instructors, of which the following is a brief 0} nopsis :—: — There was a largo and representative {rarhoring, amongst them being Mr B. C. Robl/ma, of Hawera, Mr Finn («ecrtt»ry of the North Island Dairy Association), Mr Kowin (of Lovell and ChrUtinas), Messrs H. Liardeb, Fantham, Bayly, Kimbell, and a number of others. The vice-chairs were occupied by Mr Amoore (chairman of the Ngaire Co-operalive Dairy Company) and Mr B. C. KoLbins. The catering wbb »11 that could be desired. — In reply to the various toast.*, some very iulc-rc-tiug speeches were made by Messrs Mncßwan, Sawers, Finn, Fanthnm, and Kowin. During the proceedings, Mr Ma it, manager of the Stratford Co-operative Company's Factory, said the following address had been agreed to by the studei-ts and Hlumin&tcd and sent to tbe Hon. Mr M'Konzie, with a rcqueit that it be placed in the office of the Dairy department. A copy has also been handed to each of the dairy instructors as a memorial of the school. To the Hon. the Minister for Agriculture, New Zealand. Sir,— lfc has been with great interest that we, i the student.-, of the Stratford Dairy School, have watched tbo lecent developments of th>j science of dairying under the capable tuitiou of Me3sra J. B. Mai-Ewan, John Sawcs, J. T. Lang, A. Busck, S. M. Bobbins, B. "Wayte, and A. A. Thornton. We therefore desire to place on record our appreciation of the system that has been inaugurated of establishing dairy schools at Kdcndalc and Stratford, wheieby over 200 students have acquiied valuable information, and also to exprehS our grateful acknowledgment of the courtesy and readiness at all times to impart instruction that we have experienced at the hands of the above-named instructors. We trust that the sy tern of dairy instruction, bo ably initiated by Mr John Sawer.-j, and developed by Mr J. B. MacEwan, will be allowed to continue. Signed by the Students. A most enjoyable evening was spent, the company breaking up at 12 30.