436 Journal of Affriculture, Victoria. [10 July, 1917. 



of the total quantity was of first grade quality. Most of the cheese 

 was four to six weeks in store prior to shiprrent, and was five to six 

 months old before reaching its destination." 



Many consumers in this country are under the impression that good 

 cheese cannot be made here, and that if they wish to have a bit of good 

 cheese they must purchase New Zealand-made cheese. In yeais past 

 much of the Victorian make has been sold as New Zealand, and any- 

 thing inferior in quality as Victorian. The results of the export of 

 cheese to Britain should go far to dispel this illusion. While full reports 

 from Loudon are not yet available, cables have been received lo tlift 

 effect that experts appointed by the British Government have classified a 

 large cjuantity of cheese which was forwarded to London as equal to the 

 bestj New Zealand in quality. For this the Victorian makers would re- 

 ceive the same price as the New Zealanders. 



In 1911 a shipment of cheese was sent to London, and the report on 

 this was very satisfactory. The following extract from a report, from 

 one of the largest inporting firn s in Britain sosaks for itself: — " The 

 quality of Victorian cheese per s.s. Coniwall is very satisfactory, and 

 a great improvement upon what we had from Queensland last year. 



" The character of the cheese is more like that of Canadian than New 

 Zealand. On the whole, the coloured cheese shows up better than the 

 white. The crates in which the cheese are packed are very rough and 

 badly made, and it would be a greati advantage to have the wood planed 

 and the corners and edges of the boards rounded off, after the style of 

 the New Zealand crates. They look very common and rough, and some 

 of them are far too big for the cheese. It' is more difficult to sell craties 

 that contain three cheese, and they do not command such a good price 

 as those that contain two. We like cheese weighing about 80 lbs. 

 each." 



If cheese-makers will benefit by the instructions given by Mr. Geo. 

 Sawers, Cheese Instructor of the Department of Agriculture, there will 

 be no difficulty in producing an article that will hold its own in competi- 

 tion with that of New Zealand and Canada. The trouble is that very 

 frequently they will not give the time and attention necessary. If they 

 tiy to rush tjie work through as quickly as possible, body and texture 

 suffers, and there is also loss of fat. 



Greater uniformity in weight of cheese and style of package is neces- 

 sary. It should always be borne in miiul that an attractive get up is of 

 great assistance in selling the contents. It may be assumed that the 

 same care has been taken in manufacture as in preparing for market. 



Markets. 



U.S.A. — The increase in imports of cheese' to U.S.A. from 1900 to 

 1914 was more than 50,000,000 lbs. annually. While the total production 

 oT cheese is steadily increasing the amount per head of population is de- 

 creasing. The same thing applies to butter and other products, and 

 America should, in the future, be a market of ever-increasing import- 

 ance for Australian food products. 



Britain. — According to London authority, the average consumption 

 of cheese in England and Scotland was .504.000,000 lbs. per year, of 

 which 302,400,000 were home made and 201,600,000 imported. Year by 

 year the amount, of milk consumed in its natural condition is increasing, 

 which means less cheese manufactured at home, leaving a greater open- 

 ing for the manufacturers of Australia and other countries now being 



