376 



Siberian Butter Industry. 



two or three combined hamlets. Loans are granted for the 

 purpose to the extent of not more than ^320 for any such 

 co-operative dairy, at 4 per cent for five years. No risk is run, 

 as the livestock of the peasants alone more than covers the 

 liability. Each peasant joining would thus share in the profits 

 of the dairy according to the amount of milk furnished. Some 

 forty such dairies have already been started, and about two 

 hundred more are expected to be founded this next winter. 

 The pasteurisation of milk is being introduced into these co- 

 operative dairies, cement floors will be made obligatory, and 

 other improvements insisted upon. This movement is expected 

 to gradually work a great improvement in the general sanitary 

 conditions of the dairies, and, consequently, in the quality of 

 the butter turned out. It will work, too, more evenly and advan- 

 tageously to the general good of the peasants concerned, each 

 of whom, according to the quantity of milk supplied, will 

 directly share in the proceeds resulting from the sale of the 

 butter. It seems more than probable that the whole Siberian 

 butter industry will eventually assume this village co-operative 

 form of production. 



Much of the machinery and appliances used in the dairy 

 trade are imported from abroad. The right to import staves 

 duty-free was granted for a period of three years dating from 

 July 3rd, 1900. Local wood, being of too gummy or resinous 

 a character, is not suitable for casks, &c. The dyes used (in 

 summer only) for colouring the butter the yellow tinge required 

 by the British market are chiefly Danish, though Russian are 

 also in use. The latter are said to give an undesirable reddish 

 hue. They are sold in tins of from 5 to 10 and 20 lb. each. 

 The separators are solely Danish or Swedish, a well-known 

 Stockholm make easily holding the field. Agents of the Stock- 

 holm and Copenhagen makers of dairy appurtenances work the 

 country thoroughly, while in addition every butter orifice and 

 dairy is a practical advertisement for their articles. The price 

 lists, catalogues, illustrated sheet advertisements, and coloured 

 pictorial representations of the machines at work, met with in 

 all directions, are all in the Russian language, with moneys, 

 measures, weights, dimensions, &c, in equivalents understood 

 by the people. Competition with them would be out of the 



