412 



Notes on Agriculture Abroad, [august, 



Series, No. 4445) on the trade of Roumania for 1909, in addition to a 

 report on the harvest, gives a review of the grain market, the grain 

 freights, and other particulars as to the grain trade of Braila, Con- 

 stantza, Galatz, and Sulina. 



Butter-making in Holland. — H.M. Consul at Amsterdam (Mr. W. A. 

 Churchill), in his Report for 1909 (F.O. Reports, Annual Series, 

 No. 4415), states that the churns employed in butter-making in that 

 district are principally of the Holstein pattern, consisting of a slightly 

 conical vat, suspended between iron supports, in which a vertical spindle 

 is made to revolve. Butter-making by individuals is rapidly dis- 

 appearing and large steam dairies are gradually being substituted. In 

 these steam dairies an American pattern of churn is coming into use, 

 consisting of a horizontal cylindrical vat, which is supplied with one 

 or two sets of rollers to work the butter in the churn. The use of the 

 large horizontal American churns, in which quantities up to 2,600 

 pints of cream can be churned in one operation, has greatly facilitated 

 and expedited the manufacture of butter. With the old Holstein pattern 

 of churns mentioned above no more than 350 to 500 pints could be 

 worked in one operation. 



A Milk Preserving Machine. — The Board are informed by the 

 Foreign Office that a machine was exhibited at the Bordeaux Agricul- 

 tural Show in May, 19 10, for preserving milk by a novel process. The 

 fluid is treated at a very high pressure, and, after being pasteurised, 

 will keep for an indefinite length of time. A sample was exhibited 

 which was said to have been fifteen months in bottle, and remained 

 perfectly sweet uncorked for several days in thundery weather. The 

 treatment to which it is subjected crushes the fatty globules and mixes 

 them so closely with the watery components of the milk that they 

 cannot again be separated ; cream cannot therefore be obtained, but 

 the preservative qualities obtained by the method may make it useful 

 for purposes of storage'on long voyages. The machine was patented j 

 about three years ago. 



Report on Wheat Cultivation in Persia. — The Board have received 

 through the Foreign Office a report on wheat cultivation in Dashtistan 

 and Behbehan, districts bordering the Persian Gulf, which may be seen 

 by persons interested, at the Offices of the Board, 8 Whitehall Place, 

 S.W. 



Estimated Export of Crops from Palestine. — The Board have received 

 through the Foreign Office a Report, dated June 17th, from H.M. j 

 Consul-General at Beirut, Palestine, on the state of the crops and 

 agriculture of the district. 



Haiffa-Acre. — According to an experienced merchant the following 

 is the average amount of the annual export of the following articles : — 

 Beans, 2/3,000 tons; lentils, 1,000 tons; dariseed, 4/5,000 tons; caroubs, 

 1/1,500 tons; peas, 5/6,000 tons; vetches, 5/600 tons; sesame seed, 

 6/7,000 tons; bones, 2/300 tons; wheat, 20/25,000 tons; barley, 2/3,000 

 tons. With the exception of beans, of which the crop is said to be this I 

 year defective (about 1/1,500 tons only), the other articles of produce 

 promise a good yield, superior, at all events, to that of 1909. 



Tyre-Sidon. — The crops in general promise to be good in the dis- 

 tricts of Tyre and Sidon, and may, indeed, be considered as fairly 



