Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-01-16
CANADA IMPORTS BIG
QUANTITIES Of BUTTER
New Zealand Supplies Millions
Of Pounds-Commissioner
Upholds Cold Storage.

lust been issued, states that during the
" months period covered there had
oeen q very noticeable increase in the
attention given to dairy farming in
some parts of the prairie provinces.
h quantity Of butter pro-
duced in Alberta, Saskatchewan and
Manitoba has been quadrupled within
= few years.. and in 1912 it amounted to
5000. 600 pounds. or approximately one
fourth of the butter market
ed west of the great lakes, including
what was imported at Vancouver from
the Antipodes.
The total export of butter in 1s11-12
was S,S44,402 pounds. which was the
largest quantity exported in any year
since 1907. In 1912-13 the exports fell
to $685. 2 pounds. and OF this amount
only 6S1 pounds were sent to Great
Britain. This. says Mr.. Ruddick. is all
that the exports of the butter from
canada to Great Britain have not been
less h 1000 900 pounds in any year
since 1850. The exports for the year
consisted chiefly of timed butter from
the maritime provinces to the West
Indies. n some inferior dairy butter
which went to the United States.
Imports Of Butter.
The imports of butter for the year
to 1882 69 pounds, valued
at s2,OS1, $50. In this connection the
commissioner remarked:
NATURALLY, the importation of this
large amount of butter has caused con-
siderable comment, and many express
ions Of surprise have been heard that
a great agricultural country like Cam
ada should be obliged to procure sup
plies Of dairy products from other
countries. After all is said, it is a
question Of population in relation to
productive areas.
"a very large proportion of the but
ter imported into Canada consists of
direct shipments from New Zealand to
Vancouver to supply the Pacific coast
trade, although a considerable guam
tity Of the New Zealand butter was
brought to eastern Canada during the
past year via London. New Zealand
butter as it arrives in Canada is n
carried from New Zealand to VAN
III at suitable refrigerating tenn
peratures. is naturally in good condi-
ton on arrival and makes a strong
competitor with the Canadian stored
butter"
The dairy commissioner makes an
interesting reference to the cold stor-
& and it's relation to the cost of liv-
ing
ters." he says, Ito attribute the charge
Of the increased cost of living to the
cold storage warehouse. I do not think
1t is the business of this branch to de-
fend the cold storage industry from
criticism of any kind. but it may not
be out of place to offer a few remarks
on the subject.
THAT the price Of food has risen
during the period the cold storage has
been developed is undoubtedly true,
but the price a been advanced on
articles that never go into cold storage.
Cold storage Is now a necessity to
maintain the supply during the period
Of nonproduction.
without the market which the cold
storage warehouse affords for the sur-
plus Of foods over that which is re-
uuired for immediate consumption dur-
ing the period in which these foods are
produced. their production woul be
strictly limited to the current demands
and only for such quantities as could
be marketed at a profit.
Eggs and Cold Storage.
1.-Two very good illustrations as to
the effect Of cold storage on prices are
furnished in the record of the produce
market during the past six months.
TAX eggs, for instance. The quantity
sf eggs placed in cold storage in the
sarly part OF the season OF 1912 turned
luired for winter consumption, partly
pm account Of the mild weather, which
favored the production of the eggs
turing the winter months. AS DOR as
)upplied, the price Of the eggs went so
low as to cause actual loss to many
holders and the consumer got h bene-
at, simply by too large a quantity
which was placed in storage, and
stored g g must be got rid of before
hand, the quantity Of butter in cold
storage In Canada at the close Of the
manufacturing season of 1912 was in
sufficient to meet the demands through
he winter months. The price natur-
lily rose until it was possible to bring
IN butter from New Zealand and pay
he duty thereon n still make a
profit. Five million pounds of butter
have been imported in the past five
months to meet the shortage in the
Canadian supply. 1t hardly requires
my argument to prove that If there
had been an additional $1,000. 900
pounds Of butter. Or more, in cold
storage in Canada last fall, the price
would never have been higher than the
export basis. which would have been
as the wholesale price during last win
ter was 81 n 80 cents per pound in
eastern Canada. These two instances
are sufficient answer to absurd and
exaggerated statements which are fire.
quently made as to h supposedly
food products held in cold storage.
u statements are made of>n by
men who do not a X the trouble %
calculate the quantity of the fopl
which is required to feed a given num-
of people for a stated period, but the
absurdity lies in the fact that the
greater the quantity there is in stor-
age the better chance there is for the
consumer to secure his supplies at a
reasonable cost, because, after all ia
said, the law Of supply and demand
must rule"
In 1906. it is estimated. the money
Invested in Norwegian whaling com