lo July, 1911-] Review of the Dairying Season. 431 



There was a pronounced increase in moisture contents with a great many 

 factories after the beginning of a spell of heat. On such occasions 

 it was greater than during a prolonged period of hot weather. This seems 

 to indicate that many managers permit themselves to be taken on the hop, 

 and do not use their refrigerators as of ten or as soon as necessary. 



Payment for Cream according to Grade. 

 A matter which still remains unsettled because of the nature of the 

 competition which exists for it, is the grading of, and payment for, cream 

 according to grade. It will be remembered that a conference of factory 

 managers, directors of co-operative butter factories, and secretaries, recom- 

 mended that this should be made the subject of State regulation. This 

 has yet to be done, and is promised at the earliest opportunity. The 

 Trafalgar Butter Factory Company has, I understand, decided to adopt 

 the system, and a few other factories have embraced this policy, but it is 

 hardlv likelv to become general until it is made mandatory. 



Regulating Over-run. 



Over-run is another matter which might be discussed by this Associa- 

 tion. It becomes, indeed, a burning point when neighbouring factories 

 are in competition, and one which should, in some manner, be controlled. 

 So long as a factory's operations are confined within certain limits, the 

 exact percentage of over-run is immaterial, or rather takes second place 

 to the question of equitable reading of the test. If the over-run be 

 equally high all round, and the factory a co-operative one, suppliers get 

 paid at a higher rate per lb. of butter fat credited per test, although less 

 than delivered ; whilst with a low over-run, the suppliers get a larger 

 numl:»er of lbs. of butter fat credited to them and a lower price per lb. 



But when a factory competes for supplies against another, one giving 

 a high o\er-run and the other a low one, the question assumes a different 

 complexion. If tests are read finely so that suppliers are credited with 

 98 lbs. of butter fat for every 100 actually delivered, and a neighbouring 

 factory manager reads the test flush, so as to credit suppliers with 103 lbs. 

 of butter fat for every 100 lbs. actually delivered, the suppliers will get 

 less at IS. per lb. in the one case than at ii|d. in the other. One shilling 

 I'er lb. for 98 lbs. of butter fat (representing the 100 lbs. as above men- 

 tioned) means the purchasing of 100 lbs. for 98s., whilst 103 lbs. (on the 

 conditions previouslv quoted) at iiUl. means the purchasing of 100 lbs. of 

 butter fat for 98s. 'Sd. 



In some parts of the world, when the composition of milk is below a 

 stated standard, the law presumes that it is adulterated until the contrary 

 is proved. Other countries are at the moment considering whether any 

 over-run larger than 15 per cent, should raise the presumption that pay- 

 ment has not been made on the full test, the manager of the creamery 

 beuig expected to explain the abnormality. This c<iuld be easily regulated 

 by factories submitting a certifi<'d copv of detailed monthly operations for 

 official checking. 



Milking Maciiine.s. 

 J'he use of milking machines has Ixi'cn consider.iblv extended during 

 the ])ast season ; and, owing to the scarcity of suitable labour on dairy 

 farms, their adoption may be i-xpected to become even more general. It 

 is advisable, therefore, to emphasize that the utmost care and cleanliness 

 are necessary. A hapha/aril method of dealing with nibber tubes and 



