SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3331, 16 January 1918, Page 11

SOUTHLAND AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

(Feom Odb Own Cohrespondent.)

The resolve not to hold the Wallacetown stock sale until January 15 fell through, and a sale had to be announced for the Bth, which, as was only to be expected, Was less patronised than any sale of .the season, particularly fat stock. Nor were the number of any sort forward equal to previous sales, nor were the same prices forthcoming. / \ ' The wool valuation held on the 9th mst. seems 'to have, so far as one can hear, given general eatisfaction. The_ prices as a whole were about a penny per" fi> higher than last season. It is also generally conceded that the wool is at least all that and, perhaps, more better in quality all round.

The weather has not been so favourable for rapid or even continuous growth as could be wished; and, although generally there is still abundance of feed, where paddocks are heavily or even fully stocked the surface appearance has undergone a slight change—that is, there may still be a general roughness, but it is more patchy, and general uniformity of the surface is Ipo't so pronounced. Those engaged in dairying are complaining of a. falling off earlier than should have taken place, and some are blaming the cold, rough spells during the holidays for having told upon the cows and also the grass, which, having been too freshly grown, could not so well stand unfavourable conditions, and, consequently, failed all the more readily in its nutritive and milk-producing qualities. It is generally charged against 'those engaged in dairying in Southland that they do not very readily take advantage of means quite available to make the industry not only more successful, but also more profitable. They may equally be charged with not being sufficiently loyal and patriotic to promote or increase the reputation of Southland as a dairying centre. Notwithstanding this, some 3000 cases were exported to the North Island from Otago and Southland to meet local requirements. There may have been some reason other than quality. , If, however, we are to obtain a good position and hold it, say, in the London market under normal conditions in the future, it can be done only by attending to—and the Government, 'through the Dairy Department, etringcntly_ in the first instance, or as a preliminary but essential condition, enforcing—sanitary .and hygienic requirements in the cowsheds, and keeping milking machines and all utensils clean and sweet. Some who cannot allow themselves to fall in with modern methods, appliances, or improvements go dead against pasteurisers on the ground of encouraging carelessness, as it enables milk to be treated which in ordinary circumstances would be rejected, but can now be received on the same terms as milk of first-class quality. That is all nonsense, but it has been used against directors of dairy factories for introducing pasteurisers. Just a word on the advantage of pasteurisers from a commercial point of view. Take, for example, a factory making from 100 to 200 tons or more. Such factories separate the whey and obtain of butter from every 1001 b of butter, or per cent. By using the pasteuriser they obtain only half that quantity of butter-fat from the whey, but an extra IJJb of butter-fat goes to the production of cheese. The butter-fat in cash value for butter will bo about 2s lid. One pound of butter-fat is equivalent to 2£lb of cheese. If, there-

fore, l£lb of bu'tter-fat extra after pasteurising goes to the production of cheese, it is not difficult to assess the extra profit to tho factory. The value of of butterfat in choose at lOd per lb will yield 3s l£d. To this must also be added tho ljjlb of butter with pasteurising, equal to a total of 4s 10£d, or a difference of Is Hid on every 1001 bof whey. But the pasteurising of tho milk produces a high-class cheese, uniform in quality, while cheese made with non-pasteurised milk cannot compete, but gets completely outclassed, as was so fully illustrated in the case of tho Mataura Island cheese carrying everything at the last competitions. But that is not all. It has the advantage in every way. Its keeping qualities are greatly increased, and its commercial value is- enhanced by from Id to 2d per lb. Ono penny per lb on a ton is equal to £9 6s 8d per ton, and for 100 tons the value of tho cheese would bo increased to the tune ,of £933 6s Bd. This demands attention, and speaks volumes to the credit of those directors who are long-headed enough to realise the value of paseturising, and go for it, despite the croaking of pennywise and pound-foolish suppliers who declaim against the installation on grounds altogether narrow, short-sighted, and unreasonable. The grass harvest is in full swing. It seems to be bulking up largely,' for which the favourable season is largely responsible. The absence of frost will ensure the quality" so far; but we shall just have to wait and see if it will yield in proportion tb the bulk.