H.—23

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for it, because of its not being of uniform quality. Hundreds of similar instances could be given. Mr. Jubal Webb, a well-known leading factor in London, had an order for butter of one standard kind, to be taken a ton at a time ; he could not get it in England, and had to go abroad for it. A thoroughly-trained expert is wanted for grading and blending butter properly, as is done every day in Normandy. Another point in which the foreigner excels is in meeting the seasons, providing for the natural falling-off in winter and excess in summer, and sending his butter to this market of exactly the same quality, colour, flavour, and texture all the year round. If it were not for Danish butter, during the winter months in England, the public would have to take almost entirely to butterine. And if the English or New Zealand dairy-farmer wants to compete with the foreigner in the London market, he must do as the foreigner has done, cast away all the old dairying traditions, and simply set himself to make the butter that pleases the public taste for the moment; and as often as the public taste changes he must change with it, and adapt himself to the wants and demands of the nour. But above all things he must, in order to succeed at all, do what is done in Scandinavia, and bring science to his door, since the farmer will not come to science, and have specialists to teach him in his own dairy what to do. Again, the foreigner excels in his form of package. Custom and fashion give the preference in the London market to small wooden boxes holding 241b. in twelve lumps of 21b. each. Not only is uniformity of package required, but especially uniformity in tare of the package. Dutch casks, for instance, can always be depended upon for regularity in 161b. tare. A good butter-package is the Canadian cask holding 1121b., or 561b. to 1001b. firkins, or 281b. baskets as now introduced by the French. The plan of packing butter in tins for export is increasing fast, and is thought highly of. In Denmark it is done in 21b., 41b., and 61b. tins, suitable for consumption in small families, with an evidently growing demand. The British Dairy Farmers' Association has classes at its dairy-shows for packages, whether for butter, cream, cheese, or other dairy produce, and the establishment of "packing-houses" is strongly recommended, with proper appliances for the reception, manipulation, packing, and shipment of produce. With regard to condensed milk, Dr. Elliston, in a paper read at the Dairy Conference of 1888, says that the condensed-milk industry is becoming one of great magnitude in America, and also in some parts of Europe, especially Switzerland, and is becoming established in this country. A large factory has lately been put up at Colchester. The process consists in first straining and then heating to a temperature of about 150° Fahr., the cans of milk being placed in hot water. The milk is afterwards passed through strainers and conveyed to boilers, where evaporation and condensation take place. About lib. of sugar is added to 1 quart of the condensed milk, and it is then drawn off in cans properly soldered. Professor Long, however, doubts whether condensed milk can be made in England with profit to the farmer. 1001b. of rich milk with 101b. of cane sugar will produce 25 tins of lib. Each pound of condensed milk costs (with the tin) more than 4-|-d., whereas Swiss milk can be bought wholesale at 4s. 6d. a dozen lib. tins, after paying two profits. The manufacture of condensed milk does not appear to have taken root in Denmark. With regard to cost of carriage, Danish butter can be got to market for something like a farthing a pound. In Canada they think themselves on the whole well off in the matter of freight. In England there are great complaints of the disadvantage the home dairy produce is in point of railway charges compared with foreign. At one of the dairy conferences it was said that if a buyer got butter from Bridgewater he had to pay Id. a lb. carriage, and it took two days to reach him; whereas he could get Normandy butter in twelve hours at a freight of less than a farthing a pound. The charge for conveyance on the English railways is much in excess of that on the Continent; and preferential rates are constantly given to the foreign produce. The Great Eastern Company brings sea-water from Lowestoft to London for a halfpenny a gallon. If an eastern counties dairyfarmer wants to send the same weight in butter, he has to pay three times that price, besides something for the " empty " back. Section IV.—RECENT IMPORTS FROM NEW ZEALAND. I have been in communication with the largest importers of dairy produce from the colony, and now beg leave to enclose copies of letters I have received from Messrs. Miles Brothers and Co., the Loan and Mercantile Agency, and Messrs. Eedfern, Alexander, and Co., which give valuable and interesting information on the results of the shipments already made to London. I also append copy of a letter from the British Dairy Farmers' Association. I take the opportunity of making the following extract from an article that appeared the other day in the Standard respecting shipments of butter from New South Wales: "Dairy-farmers in New South Wales are well satisfied with the results of sending butter to England so far. The Australasian says that a farmers' association, the West Camden Co-operative Company, began by shipping 1 ton of factory butter last October, which sold at £5 12s. per cwt. in London. Next they tried 2 tons, which realised the same price; then 3 tons, of which the best factory butter sold at £5 125., and some made in private dairies from £3 ss. to £4 12s. ; and on the fourth occasion no less than 35 tons, the factory butter again selling at the price named above. Altogether 170 tons were sent to reach England during the cold season. The expenses were about 3d. a pound, and, although the company made a small loss, the shareholders who supplied the butter got a good price, and were well satisfied, especially as the price in Sydney market was kept up by preventing a glut of butter. Another company obtained as much as £6 for butter which arrived here in March. The report of London buyers, it is said, was that the Australian butter was as good as Danish. Dairy factories have been established for four years in New South Wales."