446 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[ii July, 1910. 



Total Boxe.s- 541 , 104. 



Moisture. 



The average moisture contents of the 1,509 samples analyzed was 13.97 

 per cent., as compared with 13.69 per cent, for the preceding season and 

 13.44 per cent, for 1907-8. The increase in two years amounts to fully 

 half of I per cent. It should be stated that samples are taken of all 

 butters which, upon examination, appear to contain much moisture, and 

 ]mrticular attention is paid to brands found to approach the maximum, 

 and also to parcels discovered to exceed the standard. All those samples 

 are included in the average ; therefore, to some extent, the average figures 

 4ire inflated in consequence. However, the same practice has been adopted 

 as in all previous seasons, so the comparison holds good. 



The question of moisture in butter came into prominence during the 

 past .sea.son, and 2,107 boxes or 0.38 per cent, of the butter presented for 

 shipment were detained and had to be brought within the standard, as 

 ' ompared with 776 boxes or 0.028 per cent, for the year before, and only 

 0.08 per cent, for 1907-8. 



The following is a summary of moisture percentages: — 



Nu.MiiER of Samples Containing Various Perckntacks ok Moistcke 



Total — 1,163. 



