The Taranaki Herald.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8002, 21 October 1887, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald.

PUSUhkfcl)_l'*i). k ,. .jRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1887. .» The Spring ha 3 not yet been fairly entered upon, but already the dairy produce market has become glutted, aud prices are so low as to afford very little profit to the producer. This is a very serious matter, for whereaß iv other parts of the colony hutter and cheese manufacture is more of a subsidiary character amongst farmers, iv • Taninaki it is tho ohiof sfcaolo, and, thoreioro, the welfare of tli » - ; : lustry in of the greatest importau:" lo Hip sottlora of this district. AHhou,;h it must be admittod that tbo i?'i"tior : class of buttor that comes inio fche 1 market has a great deal io do with keeping down tho pi ice, the great cause is that we have so few rnarkots open oloso at hand to send our Kiiperabundant produce. Thes* faots indicate a great loss to the farming community ; and as it chiefly arises through the defective dairy systems which prevail, the settlers should try and rectify it. Tho indirect loss arises through the greater part of thebuu^r mado being unfit for export; tho result is the home market is "irfcted in a manner which it would ii ot be if the surplus could be aont to luitaut places. If the bulk of the nutter m&de was of the. earae equal

quality, and would keep, the constant demand for exporting parcels to supply the Indian and South American trade would of itself prevent the prices from reaching tho low point which thoy do during the season of plenty, whilst in the times of a dear market the whole dairying community, instead of a few buyers, would receive the benefit of tho rise in price. In order, therefore, to obtain a fair price for the dairy produce of the district, an article must be made that will keep. These considerations are of espeoial importance if an export trade in butter to India and hot olimates of South America is to be started. In his report on the dairy industry of New Zealand, just laid before Parliament, Mr. W. de G. Reeves, Officer- j in-charge of the Agricultural Branch of the Lands Department, dwells at considerable length on the necessity for carefulness and cleanliness in the ( manufacture of butter if superior' quality is desired. Writers on this subject are continually urging on dairymen the necessity for scrupulous cleanliness in all details of handling milk, and this is the point where the factories are likely to be more successful than the majority of private dairies, and is one of the reasons that butter made in factories is of a uniform character, for to be successful in this busiuess, either as producer or exporter, an even quality in the article is essential. This is becoming so well recognised in England that the following extract on the subject from the Field of the 22 nd January is quoted by Mr. Reeves :—": — " That dairy interests should occupy a leading position in English agriculture is becoming generally reoognised, as well as the fact that for some reason or other we are beaten in our own markets by the superior quality and greater uniformity of foreign produce. It is especially in this latter characteristic that our prinoipal deficiency is most apparent, factors cannot depend upon the make of butter from the same dairy, for example, being always alike ; consequently they are driven to deal with the foreigner, who by some means or other, contrives to secure a uniform article. Now, we believe this is due to several causes — first, the greater attention paid to accuracy in minute details by the producer; secondly, possibly greater cleanliness in handling ; thirdly, to the fact that purveyors for the English market purchase the butter from the makers and work it up in large quantities, and so attain a standard of excellence which thus far English makers have failed to imitate. The consequence is that many of the largest consumers, and especially hotels, use Normandy and Swedish butter in preference to English makes. Recently much has been done to disseminate sound knowledge of scientific processes, and this is bearing fruit and will do so increasingly. Butter factories have been started in different places, and the result has been de- | cidedly encouraging. Two years since we gave an example of a small enterprise in a midland town which might encourage others to similar attempts, with great advantage both to consumer and producer. In the case referred to, a firm of grocers, who had previously purchased, the butter from their country customers, found such frequent complaints on the ground of variable quality that they determined to purchase the milk from their agricultural friends, establish a town dairy, and Bee if they could not produce an article of uniform quality. So excellent is their make that thoy are able to charge 2d. per lb. above the ordinary rates, and so great is the demand for the separated milk that they are able to give a price for the milk that pays the farmer very much more than when ho was the manufacturer. If such a system became general we should succeed in obtaining uniform quality, and growers would, in the neighbourhood of our large centres of population, not only be saved muoh domestic drudgery, but realise far better prioes for their produce. We are glad to know that during the last year several new butter factories were started in different parts of England, while the indefatigable exertions of Canon Bagot are producing most valuable fruit, in Ireland ; so that we may confidently hope that this stigma on our management may shortly be removed, and that it may be possible to obtain from home producers a quality of butter as fine and constant as from foreign sources. Thero are other matters, connected with the quality of milk, that may affect the result. Food and water are most important considerations." For local or private use the system now adopted by small farmers is quite sufficient, but if the farmers intend to carry on the business of I butter makers for exportation, the article must be mado of a uniform character, and that result can only be achieved by means of factories. The best skill can then be employed in producing a thoroughly sound artiole, and a large quantity can be guaranteed according to sample. Labour ib also more economical, for the same process has to be gone through iv making a few pounds of butter as in making many hundred weigh is. The farmers rartst consider the question seriously, for every day's delay on their part involves incalculable loss.