II July, 1910.] Revietv of the Dairying Season, igog-io. 453 



Butter Boxes. 



The price of butter boxes was a matter that called for attention. Boxes 

 for approximately 16,000 tons, for export, and 12,000, for local trade, 

 or a total of 28,000 tons, with 40 boxes to the ton, are required annually 

 — in round numbers, over a million boxes, after allowing for many of 

 those used in the local trade to be filled two or three times. The Hon. 

 the Minister, when satisfied that an understanding existed to unduly keep 

 up prices, announced that unless reasonable charges were reverted to, some 

 decisive action would be taken. The contract price was is. 6d. per box, 

 and as no notice was taken an officer was sent to Queensland to make 

 inquiries with a view to securing supplies at a lower cost. He submitted 

 a report showing that any amount of timber was available, all that was 

 needed being some organization amongst the butter factories to insure 

 supplies at bedrock prices. Recently, however, it has been announced 

 that box-makers had agreed to reduce the price to is. 4d. and the butter 

 factories had taken steps to supply their own requirements at prices which 

 are believed to be even lower than this figure. The difi^erence between 

 IS. 4d. and is. 6d. on 1,000,000 boxes per year comes to over ^8,300, 

 and the dairying communitv is indebted to the Minister for his share in 

 bringing about the reduction. 



A new wire-bound box, made of just half the thickness of the ordinary 

 box, came into use last year and passed through the preliminary stages, 

 satisfactorily. A thorough trial lasting throughout the season was given 

 and the results were closely watched at the London end. The Agent- 

 General has reported that there were fewer breakages than with the plain 

 boxes, and on the whole they compared more favourably with the other 

 packages. On account of their thinness and mode of construction they 

 are not so likely to be u.sed the second time for inferior butters or mar- 

 garine. At the moment, there are different classes of butter boxes being 

 introduced. 



Milk Preservation. 



A report recently appeared in the daily press giving particulars ot die 

 Pusey process of milk preservation, an Australian discovery originating in 

 Western Australia. A bottle was tested by Dr. Ham, Chairman of the 

 Board of Public Health, and Dr. Bull, Director of the Bacteriological 

 Laboratory at the University. The milk examined was reported as sterile 

 and was bottled last September in Western Australia. 



Samples of preserved milk were purchased by me in Singapore in July, 

 1908. It is not known how long before the milk had been bottled in 

 Holland. According to the label "the contents are guaranteed to be pure 

 rich cow's milk, cleansed from all bacteria and flisea.se, free from any 

 kind of preservatives and unadulterated, and keeping good for any length 

 of time and in any climate." On the way down through the Straits of 

 Sunda, and rouncl the north of Java, the milk was carried in a cabin 

 adjoining the boiler room where the temperatin-e was continually about 

 100 degrees Fahr. for fully a fortnight. 



As far as can be gathered the method of preparation consists of nothing 

 more nor less than a high standard of cleanliness and sanitation at the 

 source of production. It is immediately strained to a degree amounting 

 almost to filtration, after which it is subjected to hydraulic pressure for 

 the purpose of subdividing the butter fat globules into minute particles. 

 This renders the fluid more homogeneous, and reduces the buoyancy of the 

 butter fat particles. The tendency to come to the surface is also brought 



7782. R 



