Butter-Factories.

There are numerous gentlemen in Ireland who take considerable interest in dairy-work. Among these is Mr. G. L. Tottenham, who very kindly furnishes me with the following data with respect to his factory. He says that an average quantity of 1,400 gallons of milk is dealt with in summer (2,000 gallons on Mondays), while in winter the quantity drops to 500 gallons every second day in the week, the dairy there are nine persons engaged, and there are ten recognised centres for the collection of the milk along the various roads for those who do not bring it themselves. One farthing per gallon appears to be charged for the collection, this sum being deducted from the fortnightly account. Mr. Tottenham says that, in order to pay all expenses, interest upon capital, and to provide a percentage for a sinking fund to pay off the original expenditure, it takes from 2¼d. to 2½d. per pound in summer and 3d. to 3¼d. in winter. The separated milk and the buttermilk, to the extent of five-sixths of the quantity brought, go back to the farmers. The sum paid for the cream is at the rate of 8d. for that obtained from twelve quarts of page 13 milk, this being the lowest summer price, up to 1s. for the cream from ten quarts, which is the highest winter price. At midsummer a requires the cream from twelve to thirteen quarts to make a pound of butter, this falling in November to from nine and a half to ten quarts. The milk-figures are interesting as showing what is done under a system which can only be compared to the fruitière system in Switzerland.

From the manager of a small factory, who deals with 300 gallons of milk per day, three persons being employed, I learn that 6d. per gallon is paid in summer and 8d. in winter. Both cheese and butter are made: the former realised 7d. per pound, and the latter 1s. 5½d. The skim-milk is either made into cheese or retailed in the neighbourhood

In a Dorset factory where 190 gallons per day are received the milk is paid for at the rate of 6d. per gallon in summer and 8d. in winter, and sometimes 7d. during the latter period. The skim-milk is partly sold, the unsold portion being used for pig-feeding.

A Cumberland factory-manager states that he receives from 400 to 500 gallons of milk daily, except when cheese-making is going on, when he receives from 200 to 300 gallons. Twenty gallons of cream per day are also received, together with several hundredweight of butter from farmers who skim their own milk, giving the skim-milk [unclear: on] their calves. The farmers who deliver the milk take back one-third in separated milk for their calves. The balance of the skim-milk is sold in the large towns of the North of England. The manager employs a foreman, two juniors, and an engine-man, and his son is also partly engaged in the factory. The price of milk varies from 5d. per gallon for June and in July, 5½d. in August, 6d. in September 6½d. in October, 7d. in November, 7½d. in December and January, 7d. in February, 6½d. in March, 6d. in April, and 5½d. in may Upon the average of the year it takes from 25lb. to 28lb. of milk to produce each pound of butter, and 10lb. to 12lb. for 1lb. of cheese, while for skim-milk cheese from 10lb. to 14lb. of skim-milk are required. The average price paid by the farmer for the skim-milk which he takes home is 2d. per gallon, but a higher price is obtained for that which is sold elsewhere.

One of the best-conducted factories in the country, although a new one, is the Glynde Factory of Viscount Hampden, late Speaker of the House of Commons. The milk received daily is about 600 gallons, but the factory is being extended in order to provide for the reception of a much larger quantity, the demand for butter and separated milk being greatly on the increase. The staff is composed of a manager, an accountant, a boy-clerk, an engine-driver, two dairymaids, three men, and two boys; but it is evident that much more work could be done without an increase. The milk is unusually rich, as there are some little herds of Jerseys in the neighbourhood. A pound of butter is sometimes obtained from [unclear: a] gallons of milk, at other times this reaches 2½ gallons; but there page 14 are occasions upon which more milk is required. On one occasion Lord Hampden's Jersey herd was tested, 36 gallons of milk being passed through the separator, 21lb. of butter being made from the cream, and each pound obtained from 6 6/7 quarts of milk. The price of milk varies from month to month: the lowest price during the summer was 7d. per gallon, but lower prices were paid for some surplus milk. Since the 1st September the prices paid have been 7½d. for shorthorns' and 9½d. for Jerseys' milk. The manager believes that a profitable business of this kind can only be conducted upon an immense scale, reducing the items of expenditure both in manufacture and distribution to the lowest point. The price made of the butter produced in this dairy is high, but it is probably owing among other things, to the tasty manner in which everything is done. The butter-paper, for example, in which each pound is wrapped, is prettily printed in gold and colours, with the words "Pure and fresh Glynde butter." On another label are the words "From Viscount Hampden's dairy, Glynde." The labels for the cream-jars are equally attractive.

The labels provided for the packages are in bright colours, and upon them details are printed which act as first-rate advertisements. Circulars are sent out in which the dairy is described and the value of separated milk explained.

One of the most successful butter-factories in Great Britain is that of the Carse of Gowrie, at Dundee, which is under the management of Mr William Smith. Here the average quantity of milk received is 2,000 gallons daily. A large proportion of the skim-milk is sold to the public, but a considerable quantity is used in the bakery instead of water. The manager says that if other persons interested would push the manufacture of bread with skim-milk, there would be more room for butter-making, and for paying 7½d. a gallon for the milk. The company receives 4d. a gallon for all skim-milk that goes into the bread, and about the same price for what is sold to the public, but any surplus, which is necessarily made into cheese only returns 1½d. per gallon. One thousand gallons of milk are separated per day. A portion of the cream is sold, but the remainder is converted into butter, all of which is sold fresh at 1s. 6d. per pound. The cost of separating the cream, making and retailing the butter, is ½d. per pound. Milk, whether sweet or skim, which is converted into cheese, is worked in this way at a cost of ½d. per pound. There are a large number of hands employed, but it would not be fair to charge their wages against the cost of manufacture, as the business is a retail as well as a manufacturing one. The subject of bread-making from skim-milk is of the greatest importance. Mr. Smith sent me three samples—one of bread, and two others of Scotch cakes or scones. Finer samples of bread would be impossible to obtain. The loaves are made with skim-milk, and the scones with buttermilk. On some days there are between three thousand and four thousand of these sold in the page 15 town. Moreover, the prices were considerably lower than that of bread of a similar class which is sold in London. The milk used in the loaves is taken direct from the separator while perfectly sweet. Any acidity which has developed in the milk would be likely to spoil the whole batch of bread. Below are the results of two analyses made by Dr. Stephenson McAdam, of Edinburgh, the one of bread made with water, and the other with skim-milk. There is, it will be noticed, less moisture in the skim-milk bread, but considerably more flesh-forming and four times as much fatty matter, thus showing that it is decidedly more nutritious. Independently of its value from this point of view there is no comparison in the delicacy of the two foods; while I can testify from the samples sent to me, which were three days on the road, that not only does the bread keep well, but it is extremely edible when three or four days old.

In 100 parts.	Ordinary water bread.	Skim-milk bread.
Moisture	39.36	38.64
Oil and fat	0.12	0.51
Albuminous or flesh-forming compounds	7.31	9.19
Starch, gum, and sugar, or respiratory ingredients	52.59	51.07
Woody fibre	0.33	0.31
Ash or saline matter	0.29	0.28
	100.00	100.00