986 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



price obtained for tlie butter, as well as the concentration of business 

 in the local factoiy, would amply repay the cost of the service. A 

 few outlying- suppliers might not be included in the service, but their 

 cream could be churned separately, and paid for according to value, 

 and not be alloAved to injure the quality of the better class. 



Defects in the Present System of Collbctino. 



If the companies carrying out this system of collecting could 

 resist the temptation to poach on the territory of the neighbouring- 

 factories^ and make the visits in their own locality more frequent 

 much more good could be done. When a company extends its 

 operations so as to overtax the equipment provided for this purpose 

 the consequence is a curtailment of visits to suppliers, thereby 

 defeating the object aimed at. If a better understanding prevailed 

 amongst the different co-operative companies, and some imiform 

 system were put into force much better progress would l)e made. 

 One could understand this competition for supply between private 

 purchasers of cream, but where the service is co-operative nothing is 

 to be gained by the overlapping of the collecting waggons — in fact, 

 the reverse is the case, as the duplication of the system increases the 

 cost of manufacture. 



Geading Cream. 



Strict grading- of all creams, and payment of differential rat'es 

 should be the rule in every factory. The manager's aini should be 

 to produce at least one brand of prime quality, be the output great or 

 small, and at all times endeavour to increase the quantity of that 

 standard. 



If this system were carried out in all factories, suppliers of bad 

 cream would soon cast about to find out the cause, and apply a 

 remedy, and would welcome instruction and assistance. If some- 

 thing is not done in this direction, and done (|uickly, we will find it 

 difficult to maintain even our present hold on the world's market, 

 owing to the powerful and increasing competition of other countries. 



Running Separators. 



This matter requires closer attention on the part of the users to 

 ensure better skimming. In my travels I have taken and tested 

 many specimen samples in different parts of the State, for the pur- 

 pose of illustrating- the loss which takes place from this source. So 

 as not to exaggerate the amount I have allowed a maximum of .06 

 per cent, fat ; all over that I consider waste. Many of the samples 

 tested up to "5 per cent, and the lowest was '05 per cent. The 

 following are a few examples : — 



Gallons Excess of Loss of Fat 



Daily. Fat. in Year. 



No. 1 ... ... 70 -4 % 1,252 lbs. 



No. 2 ... ... 100 -35% 1,190 „ 



No. 3 ... ... 140 -30% 1,428 ,, 



No. 4 ... ... 135 -20% 918 „ 



No. 5 ... ... 50 -10% 170 „ 



