FARM NOTES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7060, 21 August 1894, Page 4

FARM NOTES.

Potato-gkoweus who are holding their stock tor n rise may have their confidence in the future of the market shaken by a consideration of the returns of the production of the principal colonies. The New South Wales crop, according to the Government statistics, amounts to 83.8138 tons, or an increase of 31,733 tons, the area under cultivation having risen from 18,502 acres to 26,559 acres. The Victorian crop is estimatod by the Government Statist at 144,699 tons, or an increase of 276 tons on last year's. The increase in the Tasmanian crop, according to the latest advices, is stated at 16,524 tons. The New Zealand crop amounts to 126,453 tons, or an increase of 22,280 tons. The totals are -1893, 359,146 tons ; 1894, 431,759 tons ; increase, 72,613 tons. The question is, how is this increase to be disposed of I The increase in cultivation in New South Wales seriously curtails the power of the Sydney market to absorb supplies from other colonies. In 1891 New South Wales imported 56.67S tons, and in 1892 she imported 58,316 tons, mostly from Tasmania and New Zealand. But in 1893 New South Wales imported only 36,181 tons, and as this year's crop shows an increase of 31,733 tons, it is evident that there is not much room for imports this year. The Victorian crop will have to be disposed of within the colony, as Tasmania commands the South and West Australian markets, and with New Zealand, supplies Queensland. The last mentioned outlec will not exhaust our increased production, and all indications are that growers, after enjoying anticipations of a profitable year, will once more have to be content with low prices for their produce.

Some very interesting figures relating to the accuracy of the Babcock nnlktester are submitted by Mr S. H. Row, secretary to the Traralgcm Butter Factory, which was one of the first factories in Victoria to adopt the system of paying for the milk according to the per centage of butter fat it contains. Mr Row has devoted a great deal of timo and attention to milk testing systems, and he has no hesitation in saying that, properly worked, the Babcock test is thoroughly reliable. During one month 47,229ga1s of milk ■were received at the factories and creameries. The Babcock machine indicated that from this quantity 18,521 "281 b of butter would be obtained. The actual results from the churn were lS,s2yibs, or a difference in favor of the churn of only 7721 b. During April U.olTgals of milk were received, the Babcock indicating 8,430*251 bof butter, while the churn gave 844<51b. For the month ending June 11, 13,463ga1s of milk were received, the result being Babcock G'iOtilb, and the churn 62181 bof butter, or a difference in favor of the churn of 121 b, which is less than lib of butter to lOOOgals of milk. During the whole of the export season the difference between the Babcock and the chum did uot amount to 4oz per 1001 bof butter.

Of course butter does not consist wholly of butter fat. Water, and other constituents are present, while the churn fails to extract the whole of the butter fat from the buttermilk. This lo3s of butter fat has been the subject of close investigation in America, and a bulletin on the subject has" recently been issued from one of the experimental stations. The results of several months' churning are given, and the conclusion is come to that much of this loss is due to improper ripening of the cream, and inability on the part of the butter-maker to tell when the cream is in the best condition for churning. For six months' experiments were made with a simple test for determining the condition of the cream as regards ripeness. This test is based on the fact that the amount of acid developed in the cream as the ripening process proceeds is a reliable indication of its ripeness, and consists in determining the acid by measuring it with another liquid. The composition of this liquid is not given, but it is said to be procurable at a email cost. The tabulated results of the tests made show that when the cream was not ripe enough the loss of butter fat was heavy, which was also the case when the cream was too ripe. When the test indicated that the cream was in the proper condition for churning there was, in most cases, not the least trace of fat in the buttermilk. Very great interest is felt in this question by suppliers of milk to New Zealand butter factories and creameries, and with this information before them they will more than ever insist on the thorough efficiency of the butter makers to whom the raw material is entrusted. — Canterbury Times.