CORRESPONDENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 24 September 1928, Page 15

CORRESPONDENCE

BATTLE OF THE BREEDS.

(To Die Editor.) Sir, —“Wild and wandering words” is the only phrase than ean be applied to the remarks made at the New Plymouth Jersey’s Club’s meeting on Friday, and that is letting them down easy, because nothing yet printed in the whole discussion could for pure and undiluted bosh equal Mr. Sampson’s triple misatatement, except Mr. Lepper’s widely reported but idiotic statement that the best butter cow was the best cheese cow—a contradiction in terms, and these are that three Jerseys could be kept for two Friecians; that in every group Jerseys were leading, and that production would decrease one-third, equal to a loss of six millions (not much if said quickly) if Friesian cows replaced Jerseys. The fact is, sir, on analysing these four fearful and wonderful statements, it is hard to know whether to laugh or ery —to laugh at the silliness of such “atrocious whoppers,” or cry over the ignorance of their makers.

Next we have Mr. Veale’s knowledge of economic conditions questioned, but as I have only seen him once, and that ever two years ago, I cannot discuss this point; but where a comparison ia mahe between his voluminous, masterly, and ■p-to-date studies in cheese, checked and proven by markets, and New Zealand conditions, with the moss-covered textbooks of Van Slyke, Pueblow and Co. based on aneient Yankee experience, unchecked, unsupported and uncorroborated by market opinions, and therefore such hopeless back numbers that no •elf-respecting would ireo.ni of referring to them lest he (hould be classed a “has been,” then »nly a breed fanatic would deny that Veale’s work is what a scientific hind-' book is to an A.B.C. primer, or that he didn’t consider economic conditions.

Dealing briefly with these four asseverations: cow for eow, a good milking Friesian will turn out more cheese than a Jersey (a local official experiment showed more curd in a 3.5 milk than in a 4.7 one); that on semi-official testing in every class the Jerseys were nowhere alongside the Friesians; that if Jersey milk were replaced with Ayrshire, Friesian, and Shorthorn milk, as I pointed out in your columns years ago, the sum saved to the colony would exceed that stated, viz., £1,000,000. That the best butter-fat cow is the worst eheese cow is ed self evident that only her owner and a few remaining enthusiasts cannot be got to see, for how in the name of cbmmon-sense can a 5.0 tester—the acme of the Jersey man’s •aabitions, with her little drop of milk (a neighbour here bought a 6.1 cow and she couldn’t feed her calf) —he classed for Aeeee with the 3.3 Friesian giving 601001 b milk?

But, str, the culminating point in the comedy—ft’c going to be a veritable tragedy for those who can’t read the signs the time*—fa the sending out, by the

iiiiHuiuiiHiiiiinfflinimmimumniimimfliimffifliHHifliKß Jersey chairman, of an S.O.S. to Mr. G. H. Buckeridge, as apparently the only man able to save the Jersey breed, and who, we are told, is eager to get at, and demolish, 'that dreadful man, Kalaugher. Ye gods and little fishes! Has Mr. Sampson, poor man, forgotten or did he ever know, that G.H.B. is the father of that famous dictum, “Butter-fat won’t make cheese,” a slogan that makes Jersey men groan in their sleep, and one that I have used, with effect from numerous platforms, always asking for someone to contradict me, but so far no one seems anxious or able to oblige? Consequently, if batter-fat won’t make eheese, and cheese is to be our salvation (I have always stood four-square for cheese) end a probable difference of 6d. per lb. in the pay-out," a juvenile ean see the struggle will be for not butterfat, but cheese milk. At John Court’s eale, I noticed the high priced heifers (£45- £63) out of great milking mothers were bought to supply a Southland cheese factory, the freight alone exceeding £l5 per head, tat the purchaser was gifted with long sight.

This letter has reached a readable length, and I would ask you to kindly publish on another day one or two additional facts. I will conclude by stating that you, Mr. Editor, can now rank as a prophet—neither minor nor sporting—but a true prophet because when you came back, after investigating New Zealand cheese condition on an English coalfield—the miners eat our cheese, not the townies—you told the Chamber of Commerce ef the very dreadful state in which you saw our fat and water-log-ged cheeee mi the grocer’s shelves, and a leading Jersey breeder suggested to you that these sickening conditions did not result from rich milk!—l am, ete., W. R. WRIGHT. Bahotu, September 15, 1928. THE STRATFORD SEAT. (To the Editor.) Sir,—There appeared in these columns on the 17th, a rather amusing letter signed “Stratford Elector,” where, from Mr. Polson’s Toko address, he says he was struck by the following paragraph. “He was notso well known as he might be outside his position as president of the Farmers’ Union.” Then Stratford Elector quotes: The question arose why he had come to the Stratford electorate, instead of standing in his own district where he was well known. Surely, small things amuse small minds. Now Sir, Mr. Polson has fully explained the position to the electors, but not perhaps to the ignorance of “Stratford Elector,” who is so one-sided. Why does he not point out to us something more startling and alarming, which also appeared in Mr. Polson’s address? such as; the millions of pounds that have been borrowed since the war by the Reform Government, also the millions that are being paid abroad yearly in interest alone, etc. These are facts that would make any reasonableminded person sit up and take notice. Why be *e simple minded ‘ Stratford Elector” ? I am, etc.,— “SQUARE DEAL.” Stratford, September 19,