March 1897.] 



GENERAL AGRICULTURAL NOTES. 



^97 



The country whence the greater part of these supplies are 

 derived is Sweden, as has been the case since 1894. Holland, 

 which transmitted over 60,000 gallons in the first three months 

 of 1894, accounted for no more than 660 gallons, while Denmark 

 takes second place with 5,603 gallons against Sweden's 16,047 

 gallons. The only other receipts during 1896 were 26 gallons 

 from France, 20 from Norway, and 420 gallons (in December) 

 from Victoria. 



More interesting, however, than the variations in quantity are 

 the returns of value. No stress can be laid upon their large 

 fluctuations, because the imports of cream, as distinct from milk, 

 are not separately entered in the customs returns. Consignments 

 of high value will thus consist of a large but unascertaiuable 

 proportion of cream. This has to be borne in mind in considering 

 the average value per gallon recorded in the accompanying 

 table, in which the principal features are the almost unbroken 

 rise in the value of Swedish milk, from which it maybe inferred 

 that the tendency in that country is to export a larger proportion 

 of cream. The value of Dutch milk and cream has also risen ; 

 on the other hand, there is a great drop in the value of the 

 exports from Denmark, indicating that the Danish exports 

 are now almost all milk, whereas they would originally appear 

 to have been largely cream. Taking all countries together, the 

 inference to be drawn from the rise in the average value seems 

 to be that the smaller quantities received in 1896 contained a 

 larger proportion of cream than in 1894. 



Imports of Fresh Milk and Cream. 



Periods. 



Sweden. 



Holland. 



Denmark. 



Other 

 Countries. 



Total. 



1st half year 1894 



2nd „ „ 



1st „ 1895 



2nd „ 



1st „ 1896 



2nd 



Gallons. 

 6,832 

 86,502 

 104,598 

 6,050 

 3,183 

 12,864 



Gallons. 

 61,772 

 5,808 

 12,596 

 2,347 

 340 

 320 



Gallons. 

 140 

 161 

 18 

 353 

 1,462 

 4,141 



Gallons. 

 296 

 122 

 141 



892 

 26 

 440 



Gallons. 

 69,040 

 92,593 

 117,353 

 9,642 

 5,011 

 17,765 



Value "per Gallon. 



1st half year 1894 

 2nd „ „ 

 1st „ 1895 

 2nd 



1st „ 1896 

 2nd 



s. d. 

 3 9 

 3 11 



3 4 

 5 3 



5 11 



6 4 



s. d. 



0 10 



1 4 



0 9 



2 2 

 2 0 



1 10 



s. d. 



6 9 

 5 1 



7 9 

 2 0 

 1 11 

 0 10 



s. d. 

 1 1 



3 5 



4 5 

 4 3 

 4 7 

 3 0 



s. d. 

 1 1 



3 10 



3 1 



4 4 

 4 6 

 4 11 



