Our Imports of Dairy Produce. 



25 



We have already seen that Canada has recently 

 succeeded in securing the greater share of the foreign cheese 

 trade of the United Kingdom. In 1880 the total exports of 

 cheese from the Dominion amounted to 40,000,000 lbs. ; ten 

 years later the quantity exported was 94,000,000 lbs., and in 

 1895 ^ was 146,000,000 lbs. Canadian butter on the other 

 hand is exported in comparatively small quantities, the average 

 annual exportation having been about 5,000,000 lbs. during 

 the past five years. The number of cows in Canada in 

 1 89 1 was 1,857,000, or 384 per 1,000 of the population. 



The bulk of the cheese produced in the Dominion is manu- 

 factured in factories of which the greater number are owned 

 by joint stock associations of farmers. A large number of 

 cheese factories have recently been equipped with plant for 

 the manufacture of butter during the winter. This movement 

 in the direction of winter dairying was practically begun by 

 the establishment in Ontario of two co-operative dairies in 

 1891, and similar establishments for the production of butter 

 have now sprung up in Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Prince 

 Edward Island. As a result of the extension of winter dairy- 

 ing great efforts are being made to expand the trade in 

 creamery butter with the United Kingdom, and the Govern- 

 ment of the Dominion has made arrangements for a chain of 

 cold storage service from the producers in Canada to the 

 consumers in Great Britain, in order that the butter may be 

 marketed in good condition. As a further stimulus to the 

 development of the creamery system the Canadian Parlia- 

 ment has recently appropriated a sum of ,£3,125 for the 

 establishment and maintenance of creameries in the North- 

 west Territories. The amount voted is to be distributed in 

 loans to joint stock companies of farmers, or to butter and 

 cheese manufacturing associations, for the equipment of 

 creameries and skimming stations. The companies or 

 associations are required to provide the necessary buildings 

 and also to guarantee a supply of milk from at least 400 cows. 

 The Government undertakes the management of the establish- 

 ments for the equipment of which these loans are advanced, 

 and not only manufactures but also markets the butter at a 

 charge to the company or association of 2d. per lb. This 



