1028 



AGRICULTI'RAI, PRODT^CTS : TRADI", 



AGRICULTURAL 

 PRODUCTS : 

 PRESERVING, 



PACKING, 



TRANSPORT, 



TRADE 



juiict to the butter industry, was encouraged a few years ago by the district 

 agricultural experiment Farms (" Quintas districtaes") and afterwards 

 by the Schools of agriculture, especially those of vSantarem and Coimbra. 



The chief defect in the cheeses produced in Portugal proper is their 

 lack of standard quality. As to the quantity produced, it is only limited 

 by the milk available, there being a sure market for the entire output. The 

 excessive number of very small farms with little livestock makes it diffi- 

 cult to improve the cheese industry. In the Serra da Estrella, where sheep 

 and goats are most productive, each female, during the lactation period, 

 furnishes 8.8 to 9.8 galls, of milk beyond what is required for rearing, which is 

 a comparatively good output. The flocks, however, are very small, rarely 

 numbering more than 200 head. Mostly they consist of 100 and even less. 

 Here and in Central Beira, the milk production is of equal importance with 

 wool production. In the Alemtejo, milk production is secondary in import- 

 ance to wool, meat and tallow. Though in this latter province the flocks are 

 larger, this is set off by the low figure of production, which sometimes is 

 only 2.2 gaUs per head above the rearing requirements. 



801 -The Measures to be adopted for Preventing Unfair Competition in the Cheese 



Trade. — BArtschi J. and PIaldemann M. (President and Secretary of the Swiss I'nion 

 of Cheese F^xporters). Federation Internationale de Laiterie, I'lime Con'^ns International 

 de Laiterie a Berne, 8 ait lo Juin 1914, IVth Section, Mth Question, Report Xo. 3, pp. 1-3. 



The writers put forward the following proposals, the carrying out of 

 which may assist in combating imfair competition. 



1. Constant work subsidised by the State, with the object of improv- 

 ing the quality of milk and dairy products (keeping powers, fat cont- 

 ent, etc), i. e. : 



[a) Directions as' to fattening, treatment and feeding of dairy cows 

 (return to nature) ; 



[b) Instructions as to milking (the utmost cleanliness in milking 

 and handling the milk) ; 



(c) Strict observance of existing laws (law on the trade in food pro- 

 ducts, special enactments and regulations) ; 



(d) better technical training for manufacturers (cheese makers), 

 as, if the goods will not keep, they have to be sold at any price, and the 

 fluctuations are in that case ruinous. 



The importance of milk and dairj'- products in human food alone justi- 

 fies these measures, apart from the enormous value involved. 



2. Establishment of international standards for a uniform method of 

 judgment and analysis of cheese, which would allow for present commer- 

 cial practices and training of specialist experts whose opinion would be 

 decisive in disputes. 



3. More intensive joint work between co-operative organisation, 

 Chambers of Commerce and the authorities. 



4. Thorough systematic propaganda for the increased consumption 

 of cheese as a healthy food for the people. 



802 - Changes occurring in Potatoes during Storage. - .sec No. 743 of ibxs Bulletin. 



