RIWAKA.

Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8364, 27 September 1895, Page 2

RIWAKA.

[From oub own Cobbespondbnt.j As during the late t pell of dry frosty weather, the various papers appealed with sioh wondeiful unanimity to "the oldest inhabitant," in support of the assertion that tbera never had been snob times since the world began, I, too, being anxious to furnish my quota of newß on matters meteorological, hunted around in quest of this " oldest inhibitan," whose diota in the world seemed all-sufficient. He, nor it, nor anything known by, or answering to, that designation not, however, being just then discoverable in this district, advice was taken from the elders bb to the probable meaning ot " the oldest inhabitant," and the consensus o( opinion was that it waß some sort of a " Zadkiel " or " Old Moore'u Almanaok," capable of many interpretations, bat not of direct disproving, to which editors were in the hubit of referring for endorsement purposes, when desirous of uttering something unusnally portectioUß conoerning flood, frost, or fire, and that during epidem : os of measels, revivals or politioal ententes, the average journalist continued still as of yore to trot out the "oldest inhabitant." especially so when the said journalist suffered from a pauoity of ftcfce to suppiit, and must needs wind up bis elemental or epidemioal treatise in manner graceful and conclusive ; while others were as firmly persuaded ibat the various news agenoies kept some acoient mortal at head offices, and passed him aloDg when some leader writer or paragraphist oontemplated ottering some lie of mote than ordinary magnitude, in order to secure its verification, and prevent correspondence on the snbjeot in " their valuable paper." I, similarly, that is journalistically, aflectel, BSBert oo similar authority, that the winter in ended and that the voice, if not of the turtle, at least of the blaokbird, is heatd melodiously in the land, or rather in the leech blighted feooes, the thrush, too, abtimeß jotting in to welcome the on coming spring, which, with its many voices replies : — " I come, 1 03 me; ye have called me long," The weepicg willow is waving his stream-, rs in the wind, and the nectarine and peach are declaring early their intention of being fruitful; me in while, we of bucolic und ret^ndiog and base mercenary motives, deplore the fact tbat the House did not double the tax on outside fruits, and clinch tha bargain at once with South Australia as far as hops are concerned, sublimely indifferent the while on the wine score, as in these times some cheaper lubrioant sufflceth. Moßt of the early oropa are looking well, and hop-outting is now almost completed. The grass, too, is pushing ahead, and there is every prospect of a "good bite" before long ; indeed, in some of the lighter and warmer soils there is already a tbiok. close bottom. The swamp paddocka also aie looking well, but are rather more backward, while the heavy soilß are Btill further behind, aB, indeed, is ever the case, in the opinion of "the oldest inhabitant," though, in the present instance, to quote He- Hem Smith, M.H.S.— thav's me. In my last news lißt one item referred to the new arrangements contemplated by Mr Manoy, the proprietor of the butter faotory, and the milk suppliers, chief araong which (the arrangements) was the agreement to buy and sell according to quality. Mr MoEwan, having -been referred to, gave 3-6 per cent, as the normal quantity of butter fat in milk. This has be n embodied in the agreement. A number of the suppliers and some visiting gentlemen, on Mr Manoy 's invitation, assembled at the faotory this afternoon ( 1 ueiday) to see certain samples of milk tee ted, that they might be satisfied as to the course adopted in ascertaining the value of the milk supplied. Ido not know if it will interest the general reader to descend into the details of the te9t, but as to the farming community — v the oldest inhabitant "carefully induced —I assume the possession by them of that interest, and accordingly proceed on the uneven tenor of my way, though were it possible to illustrate with a few diagrams, I would be more confident of the successful assimilation of my description. The outline of the prooess is this— Sulphuric aoid is added to the milk, thereby what I -may farm breaking down the oil globules as in butter making, and then separatiog^the oil by centrifugal force. The apparatus and process is known as "Bob Cooks'," the centrifugal apparatus as used at this factory being oapible of holding eight test bodies. Eaoh bottle is somewhat like a potato masher in shape, and about 7 j inches long, the body about 2£, and capable of holding a wineglassful ; the necks are about as larga in their bora as large wheat straws, and are graduated with reference to to the capacity of the body of the bottle. In each bo'.t c is plased a samp'e containing 17 cubic centimetres, Bay about one-third of a wine glass; then to each sample is ..uJ v a a n „ ; of Bulphurio aoid, specific gravity I*Bs. These are thoroughly incorporated, the solution becoming very hot, and quite black. The' test' bottles are then placed in tbe centrifuge (permit me to coin a wo/d), and rotated wi:h a ve'ooity of 1200 revolutions per minute for the spaoe of five minutes. Upon removing them from the centrifuge, a belt ot yellow oil w clearly disoernable on the surface of the black solution. Water at a temperature of 180 degrees iff then added, sufficient to fill op to the base of the naok. The bottles are then rotated at the same velocity as before for two minutes ; then a little more water at 180 degrees is added, and aga n it is all spun round for one -minute. The test bottles are then takes out, and wa behold tbe butter, in a fluid state of coarse, occupying in tbe neck a length of from an inoh io an inch and one-third. The teßta gave results varying from 3*2 to 4*3— a -wide difference, truly ; yet those present Beamed qoite satisfied with tbe mode in* which Mr White, the faotory manager, performed arid explained the various operations. Tests will be taken frequently throughout the year that the pajment may be adjusted to inees the various - and varying qualities, which Beems joef and fair, even to tbat captions critio, " tbe oldest inhabitant."