10 Aug., 1918.] Tahloiding of Primary Products. 451 



shipping and the increase in local industry, there would be a further 

 gain, if all our wheat were milled in the Commonwealth, by the reten- 

 tion of wheat offals, screenings, &c., which could be profitably used here. 

 The writers gave illustrations showing that the bran, pollard, &c., 

 represented 178 shiploads; the screenings, i.e., the cracked and 

 shrivelled grain, 27 shiploads; and impurities, such as oats, barley, 

 chaff, &c., 5 shiploads, making a total of 210 shipments that could be 

 saved. Whilst the impracticability of milling the whole of the wheat 

 here is quite apparent, it is obvious that everything possible should be 

 accomplished under this heading. It was gratifying to learn from the 

 Minister of Agriculture yesterday that he was arranging for as much 

 of our wheat as possible to be milled for export. 



Maize. 



During the last few years much has been accomplished in the tahloid- 

 ing of maize by the Maize Products Company, which has built up a 

 huge business by extracting oil and oil meal from the germ of the grain, 

 while, from the grain, starch is derived, which in turn is converted 

 into glucose, block glucose, cornflour, and laundry starch. Furthermore, 

 gluten is produced, and bran, or cow feed. This one company is pre- 

 pared to treat three times the present maize production of Victoria, 

 and some idea may be gained of its operations when it is stated that 

 last month the Produce Division of the Department of Agriculture in- 

 spected 34,000 bags imported by this firm from Queensland and New 

 South Wales. The price which the company gives is a profitable one 

 for the grower, and there is no reason why the production of maize in 

 the State should not be very materially increased. 



Meat. 



Those intrusted with the shipment of meat conceived the idea that, 

 by cutting carcasses of sheep across the middle, and utilizing the fore- 

 half as an envelope for the hind-quarters, they could be packed so as to 

 occupy smaller shipping space. As very little export business has been 

 done by Victoria since this discovery, information regarding results is 

 quoted from another source. In the May number of the Pastoral 

 Review, 1918, the following appears: — 



" Sir Owen Cox, Managing Director, Birt and Company Limited, 

 who is chiefly instrumental in bringing about the development, has 

 now shown us the result of several shipments. All these prove what 

 was claimed as a fact, that is, a saving of from 33 per cent, to 38 

 per cent, in the storage has been successfully carried out, or, in 

 other words, two refrigerated steamers can now carry what three 

 did before. This, without doubt, is the most valuable work that 

 has been accomplished during the war in any Department outside 

 actual war work. Sir Owen Cox and others who have brought this 

 about deserve the thanks of not only the whole pastoral community 

 of the world, but also the consumers of meat in Great Britain and 

 Europe." 



Rabbits. 



Somewhat similar results have been accomplished in the rabbit export 

 trade. Last year, 1,556,209 crates, containing 37,349,016 rabbits, were 



