1904.] Transport of Irish Butter. 43 



The recently published Report of the Irish Department of 

 Agriculture for the year 1902-3 contains some useful informa- 

 tion regarding the condition in which Irish 



The Transport butter is placed on the English market, and 

 Irish Butter ^ ne facilities which are provided by the 

 carrying companies for its conveyance. 



It is stated that a steady improvement has taken place in the 

 construction of the boxes used, and that consignors are more 

 careful than formerly in seeing that the packages present a 

 clean appearance. In many cases, however, exporters do not 

 realise the advantages that accrue from the employment of 

 strongly constructed and neatly finished boxes, and from the 

 adequate protection of consignments from rain and from the 

 heat of the sun. The use of unseasoned wood in the manu- 

 facture of boxes is one of the factors which have injured the 

 Irish butter industry, and an inferior description of parchment 

 paper is not infrequently used as a wrapper for the butter. 

 When enclosed in such packages it is liable to become 

 tainted and to lose its colour. Beneficial results have, how- 

 ever, already followed the official representations which have 

 been made to consignors, and it is admitted by several ex- 

 tensive dealers in Irish butter that a marked improvement 

 has taken place — boxes of a substantial character are now more 

 frequently employed, canvas covers are more extensively used, 

 and the butter itself is more carefully packed. 



The treatment of consignments of produce during their trans- 

 fer to steamers at the Irish ports has received special atten- 

 tion. A definite improvement has, it appears, taken place in 

 the methods of handling, and comparatively few cases of care- 

 lessness in the transfer of the packages have come under notice. 

 Some instances have, however, occurred of butter being placed 

 in close proximity to foul-smelling articles while awaiting ship- 

 ment, and in all such cases representations were made to the 

 companies concerned. A few of the vessels engaged in this 

 traffic possess refrigerating plant, and, in other instances, ice in 

 tubs is used in the ships' compartments ; but in the large majority 

 of cases no such means have been adopted for keeping the holds 

 of the vessels at a suitable temperature. 



The Report contains the results of enquiries made early in 



