Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price 1d. MONDAY, MARCH 21, 1887. The Butter Supply.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2045, 21 March 1887, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price Id. MONDAY, MARCH 21, 1887. The Butter Supply.

Wi; are l;lad tluit our farmers are casting about to find new outlets for their butter, and wish they had done so long ago. But so long as the wind blows fair they trouble not, and it is only when a bad season and consequent low prices come upon them that they bestir themselves. The other day we related a conversation which took place in the shop of a Wellington grocer, where Wairarapa butter was being sold at 6J per lb, while that from the Hutt was ietching Is. The reason of this difference in price was said to be (he bad butter sent down from this district. A ll sorts cf butter, we* are told, are mixed by the storekeepers; sometimes it is kept until it becomes rancid and this is mixed with the fresh just brought in, thus spoiling the lot. The farmers are getting rather sore over ibis; they find that such treatment by seme k h pkeepers has brought Wairarapa butter a bad j nnroo mid they are talking-but as yet ui'hout making the ell'ort— of cooperating amongst themselves to got their boiler .-cut away direct. But would it not ue bitter for farmers to consider tlie advisabib y of establishing butier lactones ? There are two dairy factories just now in the Wairarapa, but they turn out only cheese ; no butter is made, la many places in Australia the farmers have formed companies for the manufacture of butter. The capital required is very small, and as the work of the companies are all conducted on the mutual principle, by which the shareholders reap the full benefit of every fraction of profit, the enterprise has been very successful. The consumers, too, have beucliticd greatly, even though they have had to pay an increased price for their butter—for factorymade butler in Sydney is worth sixpence per pound above the average rate obtainable lor really go id butler, and fivepence per pound move than spirit brands of established reputation, Mow, let farmers make a note of this and consider whether it would not pay them to try a butter factory. In order that they may know how this is worked and the small cost entailed we quote from an Australian paper as to the working of the Pioneer Butter Factory, situated within a mile of .Kiama, in the lllawarra District of New Eolith A small weatherboard building was erect-id, and the neecssarv phtot, a sic.:m engine and three Del-aval cteum separators, and ian revolving churns obtained. This constituted the im"' ' v, and it is situaten in the mid-t o:' a number of small farms 'I ho (in mcr- lending, say, within a radius of four miles of the lactorv, are the sliaiehold;rs and they supply the miUt at least once, and in the more plentiful seasons, twice a day. Ihreo separators are capable of putting through something like 300 gallons of milk per hour, and the two churns would enable the factory to handle 2000 gallons per day. It is doubtful whether more than half the quantity abote given would be available in the Wairarapa districts, consequently a smaller plant would be sufficient. Three men, or one man and two lads, are ail that is required ;o work the factory, even where 2000 gallons per day are supplied, nud all tbo fanners have to do in the matter is to attend to the milking of the cows, and take the milk to the factory. The profit'' on the butter are divided among • !io », > 'ar.-’>..»U , r- pfo rata according to r'. o mi inti i ■■■(’ mi.k supplied. The Uu moi .-. semi their milk to the factory, .chore the butter is made and sent to market. At the end of each mouth

tiie books are made up, and after working expenses ami interest on ttio capital ate deducted, the surplus is paid to the milk supplies. This surplus represents so much per gallon upon the milk which has been made into butter, and each supplier receives this amount for every gallon he has seat to the factory. Of course the profits rise and fall as the butter market fluctuates, thus making the price per gallon more or less as the case may be, but these factories have paid the suppliers B£d per gallon for their milk, even when the price of batter has been very low. This, too, when interest at the rate of 7 per cent, has had to be deducted for the interest on capital. It is, of course, much better when all the necessary capital is provided by those who supply the milk, because then they receive every penny of the profit, and' no deduction of 7 per cent, has to be made ; but farmers are generally doubtful about the success of any new enterprise until it is proved all right, and as a consequence, the monied man steps in and lends his capital at a good rate of interest. The milk is delivered at the factory before 9 in the morning; that obtained from the cows at night being kept in separate cans, in order that the two milkings can be kept separate. When the milk is received it is tasted and passed through the separators at once, but before being churned the cream is allowed to mature, and in making and working the butter the hands of the operators do not come into contact with it. We notice that the farmers around Featherston are again called upon to consider the advisability of erecting a dairy factory. We commend to them the idea of going in for the manufacture of butter. The district is a fine one for dairy purposes and there should be no lack of support; and if a good article is made a fair price will be obtained and the Wairarapa will regain the name it once had for sending good butter into the market.