984 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



rightly used, it has distinct advantages ior to the settler remotely 

 situated, especially in districts with l)ad or mountainous roads Dver 

 which milk could not be carted, it makes dairying possible where 

 otherwise it would be impossible. These advantages are readil)^ 

 appreciated by the milk producer, who, however does not see the evils 

 behind them. The cream, which should he cooled by a refrigerator 

 and })ut under skilled control at once, is kept on the farm at uncertain 

 temperatures, and exposed to contamination from various sources 

 until the farmer has enough to cart away. He delivers it twice a 

 week in summer and in the winter often (mly once a week, in some 

 cases once a fortnight. To anyone with an elementary knowledge of 

 buttermaking, it is obvious that choicest butter cannot be made from 

 such cream, even where the farmer is scrupulously clean in nil his 

 methods, and where he is otherwise nothing but a second or third 

 grade butter can result." 



Any person continuing to read this report requires no further 

 evidence of the superiority of butter made by those factories which 

 work on the basis of a milk supply and of the inferiority of the 

 average butter made from cream supplied under the then existing 

 conditions. Farmers did not go into the business with their eyes 

 closed, as they were warned, from time to time, of the danger, and 

 the home separator was unhesitatingly condemned in districts where 

 milk supply was practicable. The position was not realised a few years 

 ago. Few people had any idea that the system would assume s\ich 

 large dimensions, and when the warning note was sounded it was 

 laughed at, even by the factory managers themselves. They were 

 told the day would come when their eyes would be opened. That 

 time is now at hand for those who have not had that experience. 

 Home separator agents have done their woi'k faithfully and well, 

 seldom have they failed to use any weapon that would help them to 

 gain their own ends. About seventy per cent, of the dairymen are 

 now placed in possession of their own separators — many of them would 

 have been better without them. 



As I said before the home separator is indispensable. There are 

 plenty of new fields for the separator man to exploit, but i will con- 

 tinue to protest against its introduction and adoption in districts 

 which can be more economically and better served by the supplying 

 of the whole milk to the factory. On the other hand, I will put 

 forward every effort (and I know those responsible for the welfare of 

 this important industry are with me) to guide and educate the users 

 of the home separator to enable them to raise the (juality of the butter 

 to the highest standard. 



Frequently have I been present at cream factories when a load of 

 cream arrived, and I have watched with interest the grading process 

 by the manager .when such phrases as the following escaped his 

 lips :—'' Very stale," "Too sour," "Weedy," "Tinny," "Indescrib- 

 ably bad," "Rotten," and " Fermented." The latter verdict is given 

 without examination, as its mushroom appearance speaks for itself. 

 Now, what factory manager could make first quality butter out of 



