ON AGRICULTURE TO IRELAND 87 



particularly in the south. It was in the introduction of these that 

 the first glimmerings of daylight appeared in the recovery of the 

 position which had been lost in regard to the quality of Irish 

 butter. Little headway was, however, made till after the introduc- 

 tion of co-operative creameries. The first of these was established 

 in 1889, and none were added during the following year, but the 

 success of the first was so satisfactory that in 1891 the number 

 had increased to 17. The following year there were 25, and in 

 1893 they had increased to 30. At the present time they number 

 331. 



Introduction of Auxiliaries 



Soon after the introduction of co-operative creameries a 

 demand sprang up among the more successful of them for what 

 are called auxiliaries or separating stations, so as to save the heavy 

 cartage of the whole milk from farms situated at a distance from 

 the creamery. At these stations the only machinery is a steam 

 engine and boiler, a separator, vessels for holding the milk and 

 cream, a pump, a milk tester, a cooler, and a pasteuriser. On 

 delivery the milk is separated, and the separated milk returned to 

 the farms, while the cream is carted or sent by rail to the central 

 factory, to be there ripened and made into butter. Each auxiliary 

 draws from a radius of its own, but in no case does the Department 

 of Agriculture or the I.A.O.S. advise the erection of an auxiliary, 

 unless the milk of from 300 to 400 cows is assured, and the 

 prospect of the supply of milk being obtained from 500 cows. 

 With smaller supplies of milk the working expenses are too high, 

 and it is cheaper to cart the milk to the central creamery. In 

 most cases the auxiliaries may be treated as separate societies, as 

 they have usually full control of their own affairs. Besides paying 

 the cartage of their cream from the separating station to the 

 central creamery, they pay to the central creamery about |d. per 

 lb. to meet the expenses of churning, packing, and selling. In 

 this way the farmers at a distance from a central creamery, and in 

 insufficient numbers to run one of their own, may obtain advan- 

 tages equal to those obtained by the central creamery, if the 

 separating station is within easy carting or rail distance of it. 



Creameries Visited 



The Commission in their wanderings inspected representative 

 creameries at Ballyrashane, Urney, Omagh, Enniskillen, Droma- 

 hair, and Solohead. The members of the Commission were much 

 impressed and highly delighted with what they saw at each of 

 these places. The buildings were substantial, the machinery up 

 to date, and the managers well qualified for their positions, which 

 has not always been the case in Ireland. In every instance the 

 butter produced was of the very highest quality, and, as far as 

 could be seen, nothing was omitted which skill and cleanliness 

 could suggest. 



