,,department ,,of ,,external ,,affairs1 ,,melbourne4 ,,australia3 ,the ,dairy ,country ,dairy ,farmers are specially invited and assisted to come to ,australia because it is considered that in a progressive young ,country with so much ,territory adapted for ,dairying such ,settlers will advance the interest of the ,country and of themselves4 ,,published ,,under ,,the ,,authority ,,of ,,the ,,minister ,,of ,,state ,,for ,,external ,,affairs1 ,,melbourne1 ,,australia 4 4 4 4 #aiae4 ,by ,authority3 ,mc,c,a,r,r,o,n1 ,,bird ,,co41 ,printers4 #dgi ,collins ,street1 ,melbourne4 ,illustration3 ,note the ,shedding is of very light description4 ,,contents4 ,,page ,bacon-,curing #dh ,bee ,farming #ba ,breeds of ,cattle in ,use #cc ,butter ,exported #aa ,cheese-making #dg ,clearing ,land #de ,condensed ,milk #cf ,conditions of ,selection #de ,co-op4 ,factories1 ,facilities given #cf ,cost of ,starting a ,farm #bg1 #cd ,dairy ,herds #dg ,experiences of ,farmers #ce ,facilities ,offered to ,dairymen #ca1 #ch1 #db ,gov'mnt4 ,assistance to the ,farmer #ca ,grasses #ce ,growth of the ,industry #aj ,labour ,conditions #e ,land for ,dairy ,farming #bf1 #ca1 #cb1 #dc ,land1 ,price of #bf1 #cc1 #dc ,monetary ,aid to ,settlers #be ,new ,south ,wales #bf-bg ,pig ,raising #ad ,poultry ,farming #bj ,profit per ,cow #cc1 #dj ,queensland #ca-cf ,seasons #g ,south ,australia #cg-dj ,share ,system of ,dairying #bb ,size of ,average ,herd #cd ,state ,supervision #ab ,stock1 ,price of #cc ,tasmania #dd-dh ,victoria #bg-ca ,western ,australia #dj-dd ,winter ,feed #ce ,information ,concerning ,,australia may be obtained on application to-- ,,in ,,america3 ,,australian ,,pavilion1 ,,panama ,,pacific ,,exhibition4 ,,niel ,,nielsen1 ,esq41 ,trade and ,immigration ,commissioner for ,new ,south ,wales1 #dai ,market ,street1 ,san ,francisco4 ,f4 ,t4 ,a4 ,,fricke1 ,esq41 ,land and ,immigration ,agent for ,victoria1 #fhg ,market ,street1 ,san ,francisco4 ,,in ,,london3 ,the ,high ,commissioner for ,,the ,,commonwealth ,,of ,,australia1 #gb ,victoria ,street1 ,westminster1 ,london1 ,s4,w4 ,,in ,,australia3 ,,the ,,secretary1 ,,department ,,of ,,external ,,affairs1 ,collins and ,spring ,streets1 ,melbourne4 ,the suitability of ,australia as a country for the dairyman is referred to in the report of the ,scottish ,agricultural ,commission1,a who toured the ,states of the ,commonwealth in #aiaj-aa1 in the following terms3-- ,illustration3 ,an up-to-date ,milking ,yard4 ,the practice of dairying1 in a limited domestic sense1 as applied to the milking of a few cows and the making of a little butter and cheese for family use1 is as old as the history of mankind1 and in that restricted meaning dairying has been carried on in ,australia since the arrival of the first settlers4 ,but the industry as existing there to-day is a vastly different matter1 being already of great importance1 and promising rapid and extensive development4 ,it is a young industry1 so recently out of its infancy that if this report had been written fifteen years ago the section on dairying might have been almost as brief as the famous chapter on snakes in ,ireland4 ,illustration3 ,cream ,carts at the ,factory4 ,the live stock brought to ,sydney by ,captain ,phillip in #aghh1 and sent to propagate their kind at ,farm ,cove1 consisted of one bull1 four cows1 one calf1 and seven pigs4 ,their descendants in #aijh included about ten and a-half millions of cattle1 of which nearly two millions were dairy cows4 ,this is about one cow for every two persons in the ,commonwealth1 which seems a large proportion1 but as it means only one cow for every two square miles in ,australia1 there is ample room for expansion4 ,in ,great ,britain we have about twenty-six cows for every square mile1 and only one cow for every fifteen people4 ,these figures indicate that in proportion to its population ,australia is much more of a dairying country than ,great ,britain1 but that in proportion to its area1 it has developed the industry much less extensively1 and is still capable of making enormous growth4 ,until within comparatively recent years there was little dairying anywhere in the ,commonwealth1 and what little there was appears to have been carried on by somewhat primitive methods4 ,modern developments1 the spread of scientific knowledge1 the fostering care of ,government1 and1 above everything1 the advent of the separator1 of the milking machine1 and of the freezer have changed all that4 ,to-day the industry is prospering and full of promise4444 ,there is no denying the fact that every ,state in the ,commonwealth has extensive districts where dairying could be carried on very profitably4 ,indeed there must be very few parts of the world where ,nature does so much to help and so little to hinder the provident and industrious producer of milk4 ,the most important advantage of all is undoubtedly the climate1 and that1 like many another thing of value1 is a good servant1 but a bad master4 ,it would not be easy to overstate the benefit a dairyman receives from being relieved of the need for housing1 hand-feeding1 and tending his cows during a long winter4 ,his cows are healthier1 their feeding costs less1 there is no cleaning of byres1 no washing of floors1 no preparing of food1 no never-ending carting of turnips1 no filling of sheds with hay or straw4 ,his anxiety1 his work1 and his expense are reduced by half1 through the simple agency of a friendly climate4 ,and yet this same climate is also his most dangerous enemy4 ,there are certainly also adverse influences which must not be forgotten1 but a careful examination of the whole position will probably lead to the conclusion that ,australia is1 on the whole1 a good dairyman's country4 ,the advantages include3--7#a7 ,cheap land1 7#b7 cheap cows1 7#c7 inexpensive buildings1 7#d7 a climate permitting cows to be in the open all the year round1 7#e7 a convenient market and a fair price at the factories1 7#f7 helpful ,government supervision4 ,the disadvantages are3--7#a7 ,dear and scarce labour1 7#b7 an inferior stock of milk cows1 7#c7 occasional dry seasons1 and 7#d7 the farmer's inexperience and ignorance of scientific dairying4 ,these several points are touched on in this pamphlet in the chapters dealing with the individual ,states1 but some general remarks are offered here in regard to the four points mentioned as operating disadvantageously4 7#a7 ,dear and ,scarce ,labour4--,every young country at times experiences the difficulty of procuring sufficient skilled assistance to keep pace with the rapid expansion of its industries4 ,australia is no exception4 ,dairy farmers there have not always been able to obtain experienced milkers4 ,the farmer with children old enough to assist him is at a great advantage1 and some of the most successful dairy farms in the ,commonwealth are worked mainly by the owners and their families4 ,but where the herd is too large1 or the family too small1 the milking machine1 which is really a valuable aid to the dairyman1 has been pressed into use1 with satisfactory results4 ,illustration3 ,a fine herd of ,holsteins4 ,there is no doubt that rapid as has been the expansion of this industry in ,australia1 its development has been distinctly retarded by the want of reliable milkers4 ,but what is the farmer's bane is the farm labourer's boon4 ,the scarcity of labour has checked the farmer's operations1 but it gives the man seeking employment a wider field4 ,competent milkers readily find employment at #d4hj to #f4jj per week and keep4 ,in every important district good dairy hands also have facilities extended to them for entering into arrangements for dairying on shares1 with profit to themselves 7see pp4 #af-ah74 7#b7 ,an ,inferior ,stock of ,milk ,cows4--,the fact that while in many districts there are to be found dairy herds averaging barely #cjj gallons per cow per annum1 with a butter fat percentage of little over #c4e1 carried on the same class of land as herds which average over #ejj gallons per cow1 with over #d per cent4 butter fat1 will enable any dairy farmer to realise how much room there is for improvement in this thriving young industry1 and what scope there is for the man accustomed to get the best results from his land and his herd4 ,but the ,governments of the respective ,states afford special facilities by way of importing and placing at the disposal of farmers stud cattle of the highest standards4 ,private persons are also doing a great deal in importing and breeding high-class animals4 ,herd-testing associations are becoming more numerous4 ,farmers are learning that it is profitable to keep milk records and to cull out of their herds the cows that do not give payable yields1 and pronounced advancement is being made in this direction4 7#c7 ,occasional ,dry ,seasons4--,the effects of dry spells1 which sometimes occur even in the best-watered dairying districts1 can be greatly minimised by the conservation of fodder1 by cheap and easy methods of silage4 ,so rich is the country in succulent natural grasses1 and so congenial is the climate1 that farmers exhibit a tendency to rely too much on the bounty of the seasons4 ,this is what the ,scottish ,commission meant when they referred to the friendly climate as being the dairyman's most dangerous enemy4 ,it is true that in normal years milch cows may depasture the whole year long on the natural pastures1 and on this food alone yield milk of magnificent flavour1 producing butter and cheese of the highest quality4 ,but there should be put by to supplement the natural fodder during dry times a supply of food either as hay or silage4 ,the experts of the various agricultural departments strongly advocate the use of the silo1 but the advice has not yet been generally adopted4 ,as the loss in the silo is insignificant1 it can be realised how cheaply ample stores of the best class of stand-by fodder can be conserved4 ,silos to hold #ajj tons cost about #dhj4jj to construct1 and a cutter and elevator about #add4jj4 ,to this would have to be added the cost of a horse-works or engine1 but until a settler is in a position to indulge in the most up-to-date outfit1 he can follow the usual practice of serving his greenstuff in the form of stack silage1 which entails a very moderate outlay4 ,illustration3 ,silos1 ,victoria4 ,many crops excellent for silage are easily grown1 and the cultivation areas need never be idle for a day at any time of the year4 ,as one crop becomes fit to use1 the land can be replanted irrespective of weather conditions4 ,for instance1 in spring 7,september7 maize or sorghum can be sown1 either over the whole area at once or at intervals of a week or a month up to ,january4 ,in three to three and a-half months1 during which time the pastures are at their best1 and there is no need for supplementary fodder1 the first of the areas will be ready for use as green fodder1 or for conversion into silage to serve as a cheap and juicy winter fodder4 ,in many districts as soon as the earliest-sown maize crop is harvested a second maize or sorghum crop is planted1 and by the time that is ready to cut1 barley and vetches or field peas can be planted to come in to supplement the stores of winter fodder4 ,illustration3 ,a fine growth of ,sorghum--,victoria4--,an excellent fodder crop4 ,maize is harvested for silage when the cobs are well filled1 and the grain is beginning to glaze2 at this stage a normal crop will yield about #bj tons greenstuff per acre4 ,sorghum will produce about #ae tons1 and barley and vetches or peas about #aj tons per acre4 ,wheat and oats are often grown in order to be cut for hay1 and make an excellent fodder4 ,another most valuable crop to the dairyman is lucerne1 which will keep in a well-built stack for an indefinite time4 7#d7 ,the ,farmer's inexperience and ignorance of ,scientific ,dairying4--,to this last point the ,scottish ,commissioners furnish a reply in their report4 ,illustration3 ,a typical ,australian ,dairy ,farm4 ,a great many1 the report states1 of those engaged in producing milk have had no training in the business4 ,if a man can milk a cow1 or is willing to learn1 he thinks himself quite able to run a dairy farm4 ,in time1 if he is intelligent and observant1 he becomes as expert at his trade as if he had never done anything else2 but his experience has certainly cost him a good deal4 ,the men who are neither intelligent nor observant learn little from experience1 and their dairy methods leave much to be desired4 ,it is they who breed their cows anyhow1 who keep no kind of milk records1 who think it economy to bring in their cows to the calving as hard as wood1 who depend entirely on pasture for food1 who make no provision for drought1 who have nothing to learn from anybody1 and who are keeping the reputation of the ,australian cow at a level much below respectability4 ,by-and-by1 no doubt1 this type of man will become scarcer4 ,the ,state ,governments are doing what is possible to spread abroad scientific knowledge in dairying matters1 and a younger generation is growing up that has been made familiar both with the practice and the theory of milk production4 ,when their time comes it is certain they will make dairying highly profitable4 ,the fact that1 with an average milk yield of 'something under #bej gallons per annum1' the industry as a whole is in a prosperous condition affords the most remarkable testimony possible to the excellence of ,australia as a dairyman's country4 ,what will happen when the average doubles itself1 and attains1 as it surely will1 the moderate figure of #ejj gallons per annum8 ,a ,phenomenal ,growth4 ,starting out with splendid natural advantages--a wide range of soils of great fertility1 indigenous grasses of high food value1 and a congenial climate--the dairying industry in ,australia has made phenomenal strides4 ,the establishment throughout the chief districts of co-operative factories1 owned and managed by the farmers themselves1 and the introduction of cold storage greatly stimulated its growth4 ,during the last decade its advancement has been remarkable4 ,the ,australian dairy industry is based on the world's markets4 ,every year the demand in various countries for ,australian and other dairy and farmyard products increases1 and the large home market is also expanding4 ,the facilities for supervision1 handling1 and transportation are improving1 and ,australian dairymen to-day obtain high prices in both local and outside markets for their produce4 ,it is stated that in ,south ,australia dairymen who delivered good cream were able to secure from the factories an average of #j4bb per lb4 from the butter made therefrom4 ,the following table shows at once the advance of the dairying industry 7including poultry farming and bee culture73-- ,,ten ,,years4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------- #aijb4 #aiab4 ,increase4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------- ,dairy ,cows ,no #a1aac1iaa #b1jhf1hhe #hg4cd ,pigs ,no #ggg1bhi #hde1bee #h4hh ,hives ,no #hj1aaa #afg1dda #aji4ja ,production 7quantity7-- ,butter #gi1egb1cbg lbs4 #ahg1aid1afa lbs4#ace4be ,cheese #aj1jje1ghg lbs4 #af1afj1dia lbs4 #fa4ej ,bacon and ,ham #cj1fjh1cde lbs4 #ed1aib1age lbs4 #gg4je ,honey #b1hgc1gfc lbs4 #h1jjg1dib lbs4#agh4fc ,beeswax #fh1bdc lbs4 #acj1iei lbs4 #ia4ij ---------------------------------------- -------------------------- ,,five ,,years4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------- #aijg4 #aiab4 ,increase4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------- ,production 7total value7 #gd1hjc1bjj4jj #ig1cdd1jjj4jj #cj4ac ---------------------------------------- -------------------------- ,,ten ,,years4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------- #aijb4 #aiab4 ,increase4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------- ,exports 7,value7-- ,butter #a1hbj1cga4bj #af1jdd1fha4fj ,cheese #bj1eib4jj #bg1fdh4jj ,condensed ,milk #ee1fhi4fj #ib1cjh4hj ,bacon and ,hams #cg1jfj4hj #cbh1had4dj ,lard #f1ajj4hj #agg1ijb4dj ,frozen ,pork #gj1cci4bj #gi1igb4hj ,honey #g1hia4bj #i1bce4bj ,other items #bfi1bdf4dj #gh1hei4bj ---------------------------------------- -------------------------- ,total #b1bhg1bia4bj #af1hci1dbb4dj #fcf4ba ---------------------------------------- -------------------------- ,illustration3 ,in the ,butter ,factory4 ,the ,united ,kingdom purchases the great bulk of ,australian butter--about #hh per cent4--but considerable quantities also go to ,canada1 ,ceylon1 ,china1 the ,dutch ,east ,indies1 ,egypt1 ,hongkong1 the ,islands of the ,pacific1 ,japan1 ,philippine ,islands1 the ,straits ,settlements and ,south ,africa4 ,besides the co-operative factories there are many proprietary concerns1 and the farmer is benefited by the keen competition between them4 ,the establishments in the ,commonwealth where the manufacture of butter1 cheese1 and condensed milk is carried on number several hundreds4 ,they are distributed throughout all the ,states1 but they are larger and more numerous in ,new ,south ,wales1 ,victoria1 and ,queensland4 ,illustration3 ,in the ,cheese ,factory4 ,cream separation and butter-making are often carried on together under the co-operative system4 ,the creation of large central butter factories1 supplied by numerous separating establishments or creameries1 has resulted in a considerable reduction in the cost of manufacture1 since improved appliances1 such as refrigerators1 may be profitably worked at the larger establishments4 ,the product is also of a more uniform quality4 ,the number of farmers who adhere to hand processes is rapidly diminishing4 ,formerly the average quantity of milk used per lb4 of hand-made butter was about #c gallons1 but separator butter requires only about #b4f gallons4 ,state ,supervision4 ,each of the ,state ,agricultural ,departments exercises considerable supervision in regard to the industry4 ,dairy experts are employed to give instruction in approved methods of production1 to examine animals1 to inspect the buildings used for milking1 separating and butter-making1 and to examine the marketable produce4 ,a high standard of dairy hygiene1 cleanliness of personnel and materiel and purity of produce have also been insisted upon under ,state laws4 ,financial assistance has been given to facilitate the economic handling of dairy products1 and much benefit has resulted1 the advances having generally been promptly repaid4 ,for the maintenance of the purity and quality of ,australian butter and other dairy produce1 the ,commerce ,act passed by the ,commonwealth ,government requires that each of these articles shall conform to certain standards4 ,butter intended for shipment oversea must be covered with a true trade description1 and that the following information should appear on each box3--,the word ,australia1 the name of the ,state in which it was produced1 net weight1 manufacturer's or exporter's name or registered brand1 and the words pure creamery butter1 pastry butter1 milled butter 7that is1 butter which is a mixture or blend of two or more butters ordinarily packed alone and under separate names or brands71 or repacked butter1 as the case may require4 ,other matters may be added1 but must be true1 and not liable to mislead4 ,margarine must be so stamped or marked4 ,all butter and other dairy products intended for export must be sent for inspection to appointed places4 ,the inspecting officer issues a certificate on the authorised form that it is up to the standard4 ,the regulations now in force contain important provisions in regard to the standard for export dairy products4 ,by means of these provisions purity and quality are guaranteed4 ,trade is also facilitated1 since quantities of butter are purchased solely on the certificate issued1 without inspection4 ,the standard for butter1 the most important dairy article1 is as follows3--,butter which contains only--,no fat other than butter fat1 not more than #af per cent4 of water1 #c per cent4 of casein1 #j4e per cent4 of boric acid1 #d per cent4 of salt1 or less than #hb per cent4 of butter fat2 or any colouring matter deemed by the ,minister for ,trade and ,customs to be harmless4 ,illustration3 ,lucerne ,hay4 ,subsidiary ,industries4 ,pig-,raising4--,not least among the rural industries awaiting a far wider development in ,australia is that of pig raising4 ,for very many years the number of these animals raised in the different ,states showed no appreciable increase1 though of more recent years improvements in this direction have been noticeable4 ,yet the rate of progress is quite unequal to the requirements of local demand and of the export business4 ,pig raising for years has been a kind of subsidiary industry to dairying1 and as such has seldom received the attention warranted by the returns yielded4 ,to some extent it has been the ease with which these profits have been obtained that has brought about the condition of affairs existent to within a few years ago4 ,pig raising now1 instead of being regarded merely as an adjunct to dairying1 is being looked upon much in the same light as is a main line whether connected with dairying or general farming4 ,this is indicated by the fact that where previously any description of boar or sow was good enough to produce a litter1 now both farmers and dairymen are using chiefly the pedigree stock1 and are giving attention to the different crosses most likely to give the largest litters suitable for bacon production1 which can be brought into condition for market in the quickest time4 ,the introduction of these businesslike methods has naturally resulted in greater gains1 and has further given a stimulus to the pig-raising industry4 ,the policy of closer settlement which is entering freely into the rural development of the various ,states is furthermore causing farmers and settlers to give more careful attention to any side industry which can be made to return a good margin of profit on the labour expended4 ,in other words1 the modern farmer is becoming more alive to the business possibilities of what may be termed specialised production4 ,it is in this fact that the future development of the pig-raising industry depends4 ,a dairyman1 general farmer1 irrigationist1 and even the fruitgrower finds the pig of inestimable value in using up the waste produce1 and turning it into a commodity which will return high interest in a remarkably short space of time4 ,this turn of events is making itself felt in other directions4 ,bacon-curing establishments and co-operative factories are coming into existence where formerly supplies would never have justified their presence1 and the result is that those who have suitable classes of pigs to dispose of find no difficulty in turning them over at lucrative prices4 ,this1 however1 can only be regarded as a commencement in the turn of affairs1 for with the increased demand and added facilities of marketing1 the sound establishment of the industry is each year becoming more assured4 ,illustration3 #a4 ,a ,modern ,piggery4 ,illustration3 #b4 ,feeding pigs with corn grown on the farm4 ,as an instance of the value of this side line to the settler1 the experience of a ,victorian irrigated block owner1 as related in the columns of the ,melbourne ,argus1 is worth recording4 ,writing from ,rochester1 ,vic41 the local correspondent reported as follows3--,the pig industry is becoming of great and growing importance on our irrigation holdings1 and that settlers are recognising its great value as an adjunct to dairying is proved by the fact that there are now on the settlements four times as many pigs as there were a year ago4 ,a leading auctioneer estimates that1 with improved facilities1 the sales in ,rochester would in the near future amount to #ajjj a month4 ,the methods adopted on the irrigation farm of ,messrs4 ,jacob and ,kennedy1 at ,nannulla1 show that pig raising is a leading factor in their success4 ,mr4 ,jacob demonstrated that #aib per acre a year can be realised from pigs reared almost wholly on lucerne1 for half an acre suffices for the sustenance of a brood sow and her progeny of about #bj per annum till they are fit for market4 ,well-bred animals pay best1 especially in the case of the sire1 for which a ,yorkshire is recommended4 ,mr4 ,jacob is prepared to submit his books and returns to those interested1 as he did to the writer4444 ,it has to be observed that pig raising does not require either the capital or experience demanded in the case of sheep4 ,these facts relate in a general way to the industry as it is possible to be carried on in all parts of the ,commonwealth4 ,a dairy man or mixed farmer finds that the carrying on of his work at a maximum of profit involves the growth of a number of different crops with which to supplement the rations of his dairy herd4 ,peas1 barley1 wheat1 maize1 pumpkins1 carrots1 mangolds1 lucerne1 rape1 and other crops are more or less used for a succession4 ,each one of these is of special value from the pig-raiser's standpoint4 ,both peas and barley have a high value for fattening purposes1 and some of the successful breeders maintain that the addition of wheat contributes largely towards rapid development4 ,similarly the root crops play an important part in the general rations1 whereas lucerne and rape make an admirable pasture for the running of stores and breeding sows4 ,general experience has shown that when pigs which are being fattened for market have the run of a good pasture of these crops they do better and fatten on much less food4 ,consequently with some one or another or several of these crops to supplement the skim milk provided by the dairying operations1 no more favourable conditions could well exist for the development of this adjunct to the dairying industry4 ,with suitable root and pasture crops there is no reason why pig raising should remain merely as an offshoot of dairying and farming operations4 ,it is sufficiently remunerative even when all food has to be purchased on the open market to justify attention being devoted to raising alone4 ,but such circumstances do not enter into the operation of the industry as managed in ,australia4 ,the close proximity of separating factories would in many districts make it possible for a breeder to entirely ignore the dairying side of the question4 ,from these sources such supplies of skim milk as were considered an advisable supplement to the ordinary rations might easily be obtained4 ,with only very limited supplies of skim milk pig raising and fattening affords wide scope for the investments of men with limited capital4 ,f4 ,c4 ,grace1 of ,warrnambool1 ,victoria1 who recently went into the matter of the cost of producing pork1 indicates the possibilities of the bacon industry in a report furnished to the ,state ,department of ,agriculture4 ,in this account he states3--,over #f tons of live pork have been produced1 and the average cost per pound for all rations with pigs of all ages has been #d cents4 ,the actual selling price has been #aj cents per pound1 but a number of the pigs were sold as studs1 somewhat above market price4 ,taking the average of all pigs sold in the open yards for bacon purposes1 about #d-a_/b tons1 the selling price was #aj cents per pound--a margin of over #f cents per pound over and above the cost of feed4 ,this statement is of interest as showing the position of the industry when everything has been paid for at well above market rates for the produce1 and in a degree serves to emphasise the much-improved position of the breeder who1 with root crops and pasture land1 is able to dispense with the costs incurred in purchasing foods for fattening purposes on the open market4 ,illustration3 ,a ,happy ,family4 ,throughout the ,commonwealth there is a difference of opinion regarding the relative value of the manner in which the predominating breeds1 the ,berkshire and ,yorkshire1 are crossed in raising pigs for market4 ,this no doubt will always exist1 owing to predilection of breeders towards particular types1 and to the relative merits resulting from the various crosses4 ,the main point is that both breeds are wonderfully well suited to ,australian conditions1 and that they are prolific4 ,brood sows will1 if kept in an ordinarily thrifty condition1 farrow two litters of pigs in the year1 which will number from eight to twelve pigs to the litter4 ,if anything1 the predominating cross favours the use of the ,yorkshire boar with the ,berkshire sow4 ,the cross has this advantage that the litters will consist of all white pigs4 ,the boar used should be pure and the sow of good type1 preferably three-quarter bred4 ,the average litter from such a cross is eight4 ,these1 if kept until about five months1 will weigh out at about #adj lbs41 and at #ab cents per lb41 the ruling price1 will return approximately #af4hj apiece1 or #bfh4hj per year from each sow4 ,in some instances as many as five litters may be obtained during a period of two years1 but when this is done too much is taken out of the mother4 ,another aspect worth considering in the choice of crossing these two breeds is that the ,yorkshire sow is a better mother than the ,berkshire1 and the litters produced are larger4 ,in this case there is a lack of uniformity in the colour of the litters1 a fact which no doubt must often cause slight depreciation when the marketing of large numbers of pigs is taken into consideration4 ,from experience in the ,commonwealth the middle ,yorkshire of a pure strain is more favoured for breeding purposes4 ,he is a quicker grower1 of hardy constitution1 and as a rule a better shaped pig for market requirements4 ,illustration3 ,typical ,dairy ,country4 ,but while there are differences of opinion in the matter of breeds for crossing purposes1 it is clear that this subject has never been exhaustively determined4 ,for example1 while there are advocates for the maintenance of pure strains1 and the crossing of the ,tamworth with both the black and white pigs1 the large white ,yorkshire is practically an unknown quantity4 ,both in ,great ,britain and in ,denmark this breed has done more to establish the bacon industry than any other breed4 ,its value is indorsed by experience at ,dookie ,college1 where the only pure strain of the breed in ,victoria is located4 ,the ,berkshire sow used with the large white boar produces a shapely offspring1 which takes on the short snout of the sow with the pure white colouring of the boar4 ,the cross is a longer pig than the ,berkshire1 cleaner in the shoulder1 but with much the same conformation elsewhere4 ,a common plan is to use all the longest and deepest sows of the first cross for breeding baconers4 ,the pure large ,yorkshire is not as economical as the ,berkshire if growing pigs for the pork trade1 as it takes longer to mature4 ,the sows1 however1 average about ten to the litter1 and some have fifteen or sixteen4 ,only the fine-haired ones seem to scald1 otherwise they stand the sun as well as the ,berks4 ,they are good doers under a wide range of conditions1 prolific1 vigorous1 and more likely to do well under the rough circumstances to which they are accustomed on most farms than the more delicate ,berkshires4 ,when sold at the same time as other breeds and crosses1 they always top the market2 and a half-truck realised over #bj4jj per head when sold in ,melbourne under six months old4 ,so far as ,australian experience has gone there is everything to indicate that pig raising1 while an extremely profitable occupation1 has not yet attained the results which may be expected to follow as more attention is given to the choice of breeds1 the selection of the hogs1 and fecundity on the part of the sow4 ,these are all matters which from the ordinary farming standpoint have never been gone into thoroughly4 ,that pig raising will pay and does yield handsome returns is admitted1 yet when so many avenues of improvement are open1 it cannot be said that the industry is receiving the attention it deserves4 ,up to the present farmers and dairymen have been chiefly concerned with raising the pigs1 disposing of them perhaps at two months1 or1 as more often is the case1 of keeping them on till four months1 when they are topped off and sent to market to bring what can be realised4 ,many send away their pigs too fat1 and few engaged in the general branches of agriculture really give the animals full attention over the growing period4 ,illustration3 ,dam1 ,western ,australia4 ,with the advent of the factories which are springing up in all the ,states1 this condition of things will no doubt give place to better methods4 ,in the first place breeders will be assured of markets for all the pigs produced1 and1 secondly1 the differences in values of prime baconers will direct more attention to the greater profits for this class of produce4 ,illustration3 ,a well-established ,dairy ,farm1 ,new ,south ,wales ,coast4 ,that there is opportunity for a great increase in pig raising is shown by the fact that ,great ,britain pays annually to foreign countries #ia1bjj1jjj4jj for pig products4 ,statistics show that two great sources of supply to the ,british market 7,united ,states and ,canada7 are gradually but surely declining1 and before long must cease altogether on account of the rapid increase in population1 and the consequent increased food requirements in those countries4 ,in ,denmark we cannot expect to see any great increase in production1 as the limit also has been nearly reached4 ,holland and ,sweden are the only other ,european countries from which we may anticipate competition4 ,the rapid growth of the population in ,central ,europe increases the food requirements of those countries1 where there is already a short supply of animal foods generally4 ,the present condition of the industry shows that there is a possibility of the ,commonwealth building up a large export trade1 even though local demands are increasing1 at prices which are higher than they were ten or twelve years ago1 when the number of pigs in the ,commonwealth was scarcely a thousand head more than at the present time4 ,at the ,franco-,british ,exhibition the grand champion prize against the world was secured by ,australia for pig products in the form of frozen pork1 as well as in hams and bacon4 ,poultry-farming4--,the fact that ,australian hens and ducks have broken all records in laying competitions serves to indicate the suitability of the country for poultry-raising4 ,on general farms1 where the birds live on food that may otherwise be wasted1 poultry are a source of considerable profit4 ,the opinion of the ,scottish ,commission was that ,australia possesses natural conditions of almost unequalled value for the profitable keeping of poultry4 ,in climate1 soil1 shelter1 and in natural food she has the essential attributes to success4 ,poultry-farming is carried on together with wheat or dairying or pig farming1 but in many places the raising of poultry is carried on as a single line4 ,poultry for consumption is extensively reared1 and the egg-producing qualities of the birds have also been greatly improved by careful breeding4 ,egg collecting circles have been formed in some country districts1 to develop 7under ,government supervision and with ,government aid until the organisation is self-supporting7 the industry on co-operative lines4 ,a member of the circle is elected to act as secretary1 and he receives all the eggs from the members1 tests1 packs1 and forwards them to the metropolitan depot for shipment4 ,only clean and fresh eggs are to be delivered to the secretary under penalty of fine and expulsion from the circle4 ,another method of collecting and marketing the eggs is through the local butter factories1 where eggs are delivered by the suppliers of milk and cream a number of times each week4 ,illustration3 ,government ,farm4--,pens at ,burnley1 ,victoria1 for ,egg-laying ,competition4 ,bee-farming4--,bee-farming has ordinarily been an adjunct to the agricultural or dairying industries1 and can hardly yet be said to have been organised as a distinct industry4 ,there are many prosperous bee farms in the ,commonwealth4 ,the indigenous flora is rich in nectar1 and the quantities of honey stored in single hives are astonishingly large1 sometimes reaching #djj lbs4 ,illustration3 ,white ,leghorns4 ,with the farmyard and dairy products of the ,commonwealth standing now at over #if1jjj1jjj4jj per annum1 the industry may be said to be well in its infancy4 ,under the large irrigation projects being carried out in several of the ,states there are splendid opportunities opening up for the carrying on of all these industries1 either separately or in conjunction4 ,share ,farming4 ,the system of farming on shares is common in several branches of ,australian farming1 including dairying4 ,to the intelligent and industrious man with a limited amount of capital1 the system offers many opportunities for success4 ,practical dairymen1 and especially those with children over fourteen years of age1 may obtain a farm on shares4 ,the arrangements made between landlords and their tenants on shares are not uniform4 ,they differ considerably in individual cases1 but the following broad outlines of the arrangements made between the parties may be set down as having a more or less universal application4 ,as a general rule the landlord provides-- 7a7 ,the land cleared and fenced into convenient paddocks4 7b7 ,the dairy herd4 7c7 ,cowbails and piggeries4 7d7 ,all necessary utensils and implements4 7e7 ,dwelling4 ,on the other hand1 the tenant supplies-- 7a7 ,all the labour--milks the cows1 separates the cream and carts it to the nearest butter factory4 7b7 ,his own horse and cart4 7c7 ,cultivates sufficient land to grow green fodder for the winter4 ,in some instances the share farmer buys his own dairy utensils1 but in the greater number of cases the landowner provides them and keeps them in repair4 ,the sharing of the profits depends largely upon the character of the farm4 ,as a general rule the tenant receives from one-third to one-half of the proceeds of all cream or butter sold4 ,he also receives from one-third to one-half the value of the pigs raised1 and from #a4bj to #a4hj per head for each calf reared to the age of six months4 ,a man is generally given as many cows to milk as he can conveniently manage and care for4 ,illustration3 ,in the ,cheese ,factory4 ,there are cases which can be pointed to where a tenant farmer after even paying for assistance1 makes a profit of from #fg4bj to #if4jj every month4 ,it is not possible to state definitely the size of herd that any individual can manage1 but it is by no means uncommon to see a herd of forty head1 with from twenty-five to thirty cows in milk at a time1 managed comfortably by a man and his wife and one sturdy boy or girl of fifteen or sixteen years of age4 ,the average returns from a fairly good herd1 in the majority of districts1 may be stated at #d4hj per head per month1 and as each cow will be milking for seven to eight months at least1 and there will be the calves and ample separated milk for a good many pigs1 it will be seen that there is at least a fair living to be made1 especially when it is remembered that the share dairy farmer1 under the ordinary arrangements1 is living rent free and under conditions which enable him to keep household expenses at a minimum4 ,the conditions regarding cropping and keeping the farm implements in repair and caring for the dairy herd are not onerous1 and are such as no good tenant could object to4 ,illustration3 ,an ,extensive ,milking ,shed4 ,men who contemplate undertaking this class of farming should submit the fullest possible details of their experience and qualification to enable the officers of the ,government ,information ,bureau to make arrangements which will permit of settlement immediately on arrival4 ,it is needless to remind experienced dairymen that any owner of dairy cows naturally feels it necessary to know a good deal about anyone to whom he is to entrust the sole management of a good herd4 ,illustration3 ,young ,dairy ,stock4 ,monetary ,aid to ,settlers4 ,besides aiding the settler in the various ways already mentioned1 viz41 by providing the expert personal instruction and advice of officers of the ,agricultural ,departments1 in regard to feeding1 breeding1 management1 and other matters1 by the importation of high-class stud cattle1 and making them available at cheap rates for herd improvement1 and in the granting of facilities for the transportation and marketing of his produce1 the ,governments of the ,australian ,states assist the dairyman with loans of cheap money4 ,the ,advances to ,settlers' ,board or ,agricultural ,bank in each of the ,states1 lend money to settlers for the purpose of repaying existing debts1 for building homes1 for purchasing stock1 or for improving and developing their holdings4 ,the sums which may be advanced and the terms and conditions of the loans vary in different ,states4 ,broadly speaking1 however1 a settler may obtain on the security of his land or of his improvements sums ranging from #abj4jj to #ifjj4jj at rates of interest varying from #d per cent4 to #f per cent4 on easy terms of repayment extending over a long period of years up to1 as in the ,states of ,new ,south ,wales and ,south ,australia1 thirty-one years4 ,,new ,,south ,,wales4 ,in the coastal districts of ,new ,south ,wales and throughout a vast extent of the northern and central tableland districts dairy farming is a profitable and constantly-expanding industry4 ,in the older settled district of ,illawarra1 comprising the greater portion of the south coast district1 dairying has been the main industry for many years1 and there is not much first-class land unoccupied4 ,there is1 however1 in this district ample scope for tenant farmers and for dairying on shares on several large estates where the experienced man of small means with children old enough to help in the work can make a good living1 and save with the object of later on obtaining a farm of his own4 ,in the north coast district the strides being made in dairying are phenomenal4 ,there is a fair amount of first-class unimproved bush country available for settlement on the upper reaches of the ,tweed and ,richmond ,rivers1 and large estates have been subdivided by private owners1 and offered for sale on very easy terms at from #ai4bj to #bh4hj per acre4 ,many farmers who find that better returns can be obtained by carrying a decreased number of specially good cows on a small area intensively worked are ready to dispose of areas1 so that a new-comer with capital necessary to acquire land in this highly-favoured district can soon be suited4 ,owing to the big returns from dairying in the best parts of the settled portions of the north coast1 land values are high1 ranging to over #if4jj per acre4 ,suitable areas of ,crown lands are brought forward from time to time in districts adapted for dairying at prices1 as a rule1 lower than the lands in private subdivisions4 ,in the central and north coast district there are several large private subdivisions of excellent dairy land4 ,in the tableland districts1 where the rainfall averages #cj in4 per annum1 dairy farming has taken firm hold4 ,private owners are also cutting up tracts of splendid partially-improved land1 and offering it at from #ai4bj to #bh4hj per acre1 on liberal terms4 ,the natural grasses of ,new ,south ,wales1 especially in the well-watered districts along the coast1 grow in great luxuriance1 and are rich in milk-producing qualities4 ,in many districts imported grasses1 such as ,rhodes1 ,paspalum dilatatum1 and ,philaris1 rye grass and red clover have been introduced1 and soon become well established4 ,in the most favourable portions of the ,state farmers are able to depend almost solely on the grazing qualities of their farms1 although the experts of the ,department strongly assert the wisdom of growing winter feed4 ,new ,south ,wales has many fine herds of all the approved breeds4 ,the ,jersey is perhaps the most popular1 but there are also many good herds of ,ayrshires1 ,guernseys1 ,holsteins1 and other approved breeds4 ,the co-operative system flourishes in ,new ,south ,wales4 ,every important centre has its own co-operative butter1 cheese or bacon factory4 ,the ,byron ,bay ,co-operative ,company1 situated in the heart of the rich north coast district1 has an enormous turnover in the neighbourhood of #d1hjj1jjj4jj sterling each year1 and is at least one of the largest concerns of its kind in the world4 ,illustration3 ,calm ,,ii4--,champion ,jersey ,cow4 ,to stock a dairy farm of #ajj acres1 the detailed cost of stock and plant necessary to make a good start1 exclusive of a bull1 is given by practical farmers as follows3-- #cj ,cows at #ca4bj #icf4jj #aj ,heifers1 springing1 at #bd4jj #bdj4jj #b ,plough ,horses at #hf4dj #agb4hj ,harness for plough horses #ca4bj ,pigs--#b sows at #aj4jh2 one hog at #ae4fj #ce4bh ,separator1 cans1 buckets1 etc4 #bdj4jj ,cart and harness #hf4dj ,plough1 #ba4fj2 harrow1 #ad4dj2 cultivator1 #ab4jj #dh4jj ,sundry tools1 etc4 #bd4jj -------- #ahac4fh ,including the bull the cost might roughly be put down at #aibj4jj ,,victoria4 ,for the past twenty years dairy farming in ,victoria has been steadily advancing4 ,the industry has proved very successful1 so that thousands of farmers are not only making a comfortable living from it1 but in many cases it has raised hard-working families into positions of comparative wealth4 ,the principal markets supplied are those of ,great ,britain1 ,south ,africa1 ,india1 and the ,east4 ,at present the industry is only in its infancy4 ,it is capable of almost unlimited expansion4 ,so far1 farmers have confined their attention almost exclusively to butter1 but the first steps have also been successfully taken to manufacture cheese and condensed milk1 and to open up a regular market for fresh pork1 hams1 and bacon4 ,illustration3 ,how the ,dairy ,fodder ,question is ,settled in ,australia4 ,a large portion of ,victoria is suitable for dairy farming on account of the suitability of soil for the production of pasture and fodder crops1 and the mild climatic conditions4 ,for the most part the cows are fed solely on the natural pastures1 little provision either in the way of food or shelter being thought necessary4 ,progressive farmers1 however1 find that it pays them to grow fodder for their herd and to shelter the animals in the winter1 and anyone beginning in ,victoria is advised to make up his mind to cultivate a certain area of his land from the first1 instead of trusting to grazing alone4 ,illustration3 ,shorthorn ,cattle4 ,the southern half of ,victoria is divided1 roughly speaking1 into the ,western ,district and ,gippsland4 ,two-thirds of the dairy cows are kept in these portions of the ,state4 ,the ,western ,district is famed for its rich soil of volcanic origin4 ,every town and hamlet has its butter factory4 ,gippsland is a district of rolling hills and downs1 and of a comparatively heavy rainfall4 ,many parts were once covered with dense forests1 but these are rapidly passing away before the pioneer4 ,practically every railway station has become a centre of the dairying industry1 and cans of cream are always in evidence on the platforms4 ,owing to its suitable climate ,gippsland has become the centre of maize growing in the ,state1 and much of this crop reaches the market in the form of butter and pork4 ,in the north the summers are warmer and drier1 but the soil is perhaps even more prolific than in the southern parts of ,victoria4 ,large areas are suitable for dairy farming under ordinary conditions1 and extensive water storage works have been provided for the irrigation of large tracts of country which is being made available in suitable areas for dairying under very liberal conditions4 ,the manufacturing and marketing of the butter is carried on1 to a very large extent1 on a co-operative basis1 the factories being owned and managed by the farmers who supply the cream4 ,two hundred factories are scattered throughout the ,state1 the largest of them producing upwards of #dj tons of butter per week in the height of the season4 ,where the farm is close to the factory the milk is taken to the creamery1 where it is separated1 and the corresponding quantity of skim milk is returned to the farmer4 ,in other cases the farmer owns his separator1 the milk is passed through the machine as soon as the cows are milked1 and the cream is sent to the factory by road or rail every day or two1 according to the size of the farm4 ,illustration3 ,dairy ,factory--,refrigerating ,butter ,train4 ,government ,assistance to the ,farmer4 ,every branch of the producing interests is steadily fostered by the ,government of ,victoria in a way that may sound strange to the ,british farmer4 ,besides the facilities for acquiring farms and homes1 the ,government employs dairy supervisors1 who assist the farmer with information and advice on matters relating to the farm and herd4 ,the produce is conveyed by the railways 7which belong to the ,government7 at special low rates4 ,it is received into the ,government cool stores1 where it is graded and frozen ready for export4 ,the ,state has contracts with the principal lines of steam-ships1 securing regular despatch1 a minimum temperature1 and a very low rate of freight for the ,british markets4 ,it costs less to send butter from a farm in ,victoria to ,london than it does to send it from a farm in ,ireland4 ,illustration3 ,miss ,prim1 ,champion ,ayrshire ,cow4 ,,queensland4 ,queensland as a ,dairying ,country4 ,queensland1 especially in its southern portions and along its coastal areas1 is particularly well adapted for dairying4 ,large areas of magnificent soil exist1 such as the ,darling ,downs1 ,lockyer1 ,stanley1 ,rosewood1 ,fassifern1 ,logan1 ,albert1 ,wide ,bay1 ,burnett1 and other districts1 which1 in addition to being well watered by rivers and creeks1 enjoy a perfect winter climate4 ,it is in these localities that dairying principally flourishes4 ,while in ,southern ,queensland and on some of the northern tablelands it is desirable to rug milch cows during the winter months1 up north1 along the eastern coastland1 it is not necessary4 ,along the eastern seaboard1 which is well watered by running rivers and creeks1 the ,blackall ,range is becoming an important dairy centre4 ,this district lies to the north of ,brisbane1 and is a mountainous region containing exceedingly fertile soil4 ,further north again1 on the coast1 there are large areas in the ,burnett1 ,gladstone1 ,rockhampton1 and ,bowen districts suitable for dairying1 and in these localities it is rapidly extending4 ,despite this1 there still remain immense tracts as yet untouched by the dairy farmer1 which are capable of being successfully brought under the ,butter ,industry4 ,considerable portions of the northern tablelands1 and parts of ,central ,queensland1 are also suitable for dairying1 and a beginning has already been made in these localities4 ,large numbers of dairy cattle are being imported into the ,atherton district in the ,north4 ,as yet1 only a fractional part of the country able to support a large dairying population has been touched4 ,dairy ,land and ,stock4 ,the class of land chiefly used for dairying is open forest country1 plain scrub land1 and rich alluvial flats4 ,the scrub lands have first to be cleared by felling the scrub and burning it off when dry4 ,when cleared1 scrub soils are more prolific than any other4 ,cost of clearing is about #g4bj to #i4fj per acre1 and in some cases more4 ,illustration3 ,ayrshire ,dairy ,cows ,grazing4 ,the price varies according to locality4 ,remoteness or proximity to market have to be considered4 ,it is essential for the dairy farmer to be near a railway4 ,the intending settler can either select ,crown lands from the ,government1 at prices varying from #j4fj to #d4hj and upwards1 or if he has some capital he can purchase a freehold farm4 ,good dairy freehold land can be bought from #ad4dj to #bd4jj per acre1 but close to the railway in the older farming districts it reaches up to #if4jj per acre4 ,illustration3 ,ladylike1 ,ayrshire ,dairy ,cow4 ,in ordinary times #bd4jj to #ch4dj is paid for a good average cow2 heifers up to #ba4fj4 ,similar prices rule1 generally speaking1 in regard to all the ,states4 ,an ordinary cow would earn from #b4dj to #d4bj2 and a good cow from #d4hj to #f4jj a month1 whilst in profit1 on an eight months' average milking4 ,dairy ,breeds in ,use4 ,the milking breeds most in use in ,queensland are the ,ayrshire1 ,jersey1 and ,milking ,shorthorns4 ,herds of ,holsteins1 ,guernseys1 and other breeds have also been established4 ,some fine specimens of these dairy cattle are to be seen throughout the ,state1 and at the large annual shows of pure-bred stock1 held at ,brisbane1 ,toowoomba1 and other centres4 ,the ,queensland ,agricultural ,college1 a ,state institution1 breeds high-class dairy bulls for sale to farmers1 and herds are being also raised on the ,state ,farms4 ,cows should bring in not less than #c4jj per month1 or be turned out as useless4 ,the average is about #c4gb4 ,up-to-date men will not keep a cow who does not average this for her milking4 ,cost of ,starting on #afj ,acres4 ,this1 of course1 varies with the circumstances of the case1 and depends largely on whether a man has the capital to push forward his operations1 or is content to gradually get his land into working order4 ,a man with #gbj4jj to #ajcb4jj could make a good start4 ,if the land was taken up at #b4dj per acre from the ,crown1 his first year's deposit would be #ah4bd1 and he would have sufficient to fence the land1 buy some cows1 and put up some sort of a house4 ,necessarily a settler does not spend much on his house at first until he has made some money4 ,on the other hand1 many of the most prosperous farmers in ,queensland have started with only a few pounds1 sufficient to pay their first year's rent4 ,by fencing his land himself1 the settler can save a good deal of expense4 ,and by working for neighbouring farmers1 he can gradually acquire money to buy stock from time to time4 ,on the other hand1 if he wishes to begin straight away1 and has a little money1 he can get assistance from the ,agricultural ,bank1 a ,government institution1 which advances #j4fj in the towards improvements1 and #j4ej in the for stock1 machinery1 and implements1 charging #e per cent4 simple interest4 ,,cost ,,of ,,starting ,a ,,dairy ,,farm ,,on #afj ,,acres4 ,rent--#ast year's deposit and survey fee #ah4bd ,fencing--#b miles at #if4jj per mile 7posts #ab feet apart and #c barbs7 #aib4jj #ab ,cows at #bh4hj per cow #cde4fj #b ,horses at #gb4jj #add4jj ,plough #bh4hj ,harness #bd4jj ,swingle bars and chains #f4jj ,house--#bd #ab feet1 slabbed and floored1 at #d4hj per foot #aae4bj ,milking-shed #bd4jj ,yard #dh4jj #cj-;gallon ,separator #fj4jj ,cart 7second-hand7 #bd4jj ,some small items1 such as rations1 milk-room1 tinware1 c41 have not been included in the estimate4 ,if the fencing were erected personally1 the cost would be materially reduced4 ,if the settler built his own house1 it would cost him little more than his own labour and the iron for the roof4 ,many beginners put up cheap sapling yards for a start1 and at a nominal cost4 ,this would materially reduce this estimate4 ,the ,average ,herd4 ,the average herd is about thirty head1 but many farmers milk from #hj to #aej cows daily4 ,the number of cows that could be kept on an average farm of1 say1 #afj acres depends entirely on the land1 and the amount of cultivation or area under artificial grasses4 ,from thirty to eighty head would be about a fair estimate that good land would carry4 ,one dairy farmer in the ,west ,moreton1 who landed in ,queensland twenty-five years ago with #j4cf in his pocket1 now has #afj acres of freehold1 of which he cultivates #ej acres for feed for his cows and pigs4 ,he began by working for his neighbours for the first few years1 and thus gained both cash and experience4 ,he now milks thirty to fifty cows the whole year round1 and he makes from #gbj4jj to #hfd4jj a year from his pigs4 ,his income from all sources is from #aibj4jj to #bdjj4jj per annum4 ,six or seven years ago he paid #ebhj4jj for the place1 but to-day he would not take #ad1djj4jj for it1 and there is not a penny of debt on the property4 ,illustration3 ,an up-to-date ,milking ,shed4 ,grasses4 ,the natural grasses of ,queensland are sufficient in ordinary seasons during the summer months for the dairy stock1 but no farmer can successfully carry on dairy operations in dry times1 or in winter1 by means of the grass alone4 ,he requires to supplement the grass by growing fodder for the winter months4 ,splendid results have been obtained by sowing artificial grasses1 such as ,paspalum dilatatum1 ,rhodes1 ,prairie1 ,guinea1 and ,giant ,couch grasses4 ,winter ,feed4 ,barley1 lucerne1 wheat1 rye1 sorghum1 c41 can be grown for winter feed4 ,on land which will grow lucerne1 a certain supply of fodder can be conserved4 ,lucerne 7or alfalfa1 as it is called in ,america71 once planted1 will last from five to ten years4 ,the butter factories were first started by proprietary companies1 and their cream depots were scattered all over the farming districts4 ,competition was exceedingly keen1 and in some of the townships there were four or five rival cream depots1 all endeavouring to get the biggest shares of the cream4 ,illustration3 ,jersey ,cows4 ,of late1 a number of co-operative factories run by the farmers have started1 and proved very successful1 enabling their shareholders to get a higher price for their cream than hitherto4 ,they are admirably managed1 are essentially popular institutions1 and have done splendid work4 ,the farmers establish1 manage1 and work them1 and the profits1 instead of going into the pockets of the middlemen1 are distributed among the shareholders4 ,state ,aid to ,co-operative ,factories4 ,under a vote by ,parliament the ,state makes advances to farmers to establish co-operative dairy factories4 ,the loans extend over a period of fourteen years1 and #d per cent4 interest is charged4 ,condensed ,milk4 ,the ,preserved and ,condensed ,milk ,industry promises to become important in the near future4 ,six factories are now in operation4 ,messrs4 ,nestle and ,co41 the world-renowned firm1 have invested #dhj1jjj4jj in their ,preserved ,milk ,industry in ,queensland4 ,it speaks well for a country when an old-world firm such as this is prepared to invest so largely4 ,,south ,,australia4 ,a large area of ,south ,australia is eminently adapted to successful dairying1 and while the summer is dry1 rendering it necessary to make provision for succulent feed for several months1 the temperate nature of the climate enables the dairyman to keep his cows in the open right through the year1 the natural shelter in timber country being sufficient1 except on a limited number of days of extreme wet and cold4 ,stall feeding for weeks at a time is unknown2 the necessary shelter sheds can be cheaply provided1 while the labour of feeding is1 under these conditions1 reduced to a minimum4 ,in the northern districts conditions are not so favourable as in the south1 but even here dairying can be profitably carried on2 the fact that land is much cheaper compensates for the shorter period during which the natural herbage supplies practically all the feed required4 ,in some of the driest of our farming areas dairying has largely replaced wheat-growing1 and1 although the yield per cow is naturally not so high as under more favourable conditions1 still low rents and large areas of natural pasture enable the farmer to make a fair profit4 ,illustration3 ,the ,cream ,cart1 ,north ,coast1 ,n4,s4,w4 ,the ,dairy ,industry1 though of considerable magnitude1 has not made as much progress as was anticipated4 ,this is probably due to the fact that wheat-growing and sheep-breeding combined offer greater attractions to the farmer4 ,these industries require a great deal less labour than dairying1 besides which the work is not so continuous4 ,so long as highly profitable returns can be obtained from the production of cereals and the breeding of lambs1 the ,dairying ,industry is hardly likely to make the progress that would otherwise be possible1 though there has of late years been steady and continued development in the industry1 especially in the northern districts4 ,in the south and south-east1 where conditions are more suitable1 there has1 on the other hand1 been very little extension4 ,large quantities of butter are exported to ,broken ,hill and ,west ,australia throughout the year1 while during the spring months shipments are made to ,great ,britain4 ,butter is exported in increasing quantities to ,great ,britain each year4 ,in normal years from #adjj to #afjj tons are shipped4 ,cheese is not made on such an extensive scale proportionately to butter2 indeed1 in some seasons sufficient for local consumption is not produced4 ,practically all the cheese is manufactured on the ,cheddar system1 and an article of very high quality is produced in the best factories4 ,special facilities are afforded by the railways for the conveyance of perishable goods1 and cream is forwarded by the dairyman to the city factories from districts #cjj miles distant4 ,payment is usually made on the butter-fat percentages2 and in order to afford suppliers an opportunity of checking the returns received from private factories the ,government established a butter factory in connection with the export freezing works at ,port ,adelaide4 ,at this factory every can of cream is sampled1 and the quantity of butter it will produce is ascertained by the usual methods1 and the supplier is paid accordingly4 ,a considerable number of butter factories have been erected in ,south ,australia1 and the butter produced is generally of high quality4 ,the butter made from the milk of cows grazing on the natural herbage of the country is of splendid quality and colour4 ,hand separators are in general use1 the cream being sent to the factories for treatment4 ,the percentage of butter-fat in the milk of cows grazing on the natural pastures is unusually high4 ,practically the whole of the midland1 central1 and south-east districts1 excepting that portion east of the ,murray1 are suitable for dairying practice when carried out on systematic lines4 ,the prices for such land for dairying would range from #bd4jj to #bdj4jj per acre according to location1 soil1 and rainfall4 ,no special terms are offered by the ,government for the occupation of dairy lands4 ,most of the repurchased estates are in districts suitable for dairying1 and these are allotted under covenant to purchase4 ,the purchase money is paid off in seventy half-yearly instalments 7the first ten bearing interest only at the rate of #d per cent4 on purchase money74 ,purchase money may be completed at any time after nine years4 ,reliable particulars of successful dairying are difficult to obtain4 ,it is safe to say that there are many hundreds of dairymen making comfortable livings throughout the ,state4 ,illustration3 ,fodder ,crops--,lucerne1 ,mangels1 ,rape4 ,capital may be safely expended for dairy practice1 especially by careful and intelligent men who have families1 and they may depend upon making a good living1 especially when they combine dairy practice with pig-raising4 ,there are many instances where gross returns are obtained of from #ch4dj to #gb4jj per cow per annum1 and this in districts where the milk is sold to the local co-operative or private factories1 but where they are situated within forty miles of ,adelaide1 and are able to take advantage of a good train service1 they can deliver their milk to the capital and obtain gross returns equal to about #gf4hj to #if4jj per cow per annum4 ,illustration3 ,interior of a ,cheese ,factory4 ,,western ,,australia4 ,the ,dairying ,industry has not developed as rapidly as other branches of farming in the ,state during recent years4 ,the cause of this is attributable to various reasons1 one of the number of which has been the difficulty of obtaining suitable farm labourers4 ,the majority of young men who have embarked in farming in the ,western ,state during the last decade have favoured the lightly-timbered belts more suitable for wheat and sheep raising in preference to the heavily-timbered land suitable for dairying situated in the coastal districts of the south-west4 ,that there is in the ,state an enormous area of land which is eminently adaptable to the growing of fodders necessary for successful dairying has been amply demonstrated4 ,since #aije indefatigable efforts to advance the ,dairying ,industry have been made4 ,an estate at ,brunswick1 in the vicinity of ,bunbury1 about #ajj miles south of ,perth1 was purchased by the ,government1 and #hjj acres of it was vested in the ,department of ,agriculture for the purpose of a ,state ,dairy ,farm1 on lines that could be copied by a practical dairy farmer2 also-- 7#a7 ,for supplying stud stock of the best strains procurable at reasonable prices to dairy farmers4 7#b7 ,to demonstrate that with the assistance of irrigation a small acreage of land can be made to carry a large number of stock4 7#c7 ,where a variety of fodder crops can be introduced1 and experimented with so as to ascertain their value for feeding-off1 both in a green state for curing into hay or for preserving into big silos in a succulent form4 ,capacious cow and calf stables1 suitable sheds1 and piggeries were designed and constructed as an example to be followed in starting an up-to-date dairy farm4 ,a herd of dairy cows1 of some of the best ,ayrshire strains in ,australia1 was collected1 as well as a fine number of ,berkshire pigs1 purchased from the most successful breeders and importers4 ,three large tub silos1 capable of holding #bej tons of fodder1 were erected in which to store winter-grown crops as well as the summer crops under irrigation4 ,illustration3 ,crown ,prince1 ,guernsey ,bull4 ,an irrigation scheme was carried out1 and the results have been most successful4 ,the following dairy fodder crops have yielded prolifically3--,oats1 rye1 maize1 sorghum1 pearl millet1 vetches1 field peas1 cow peas1 lucerne1 mustard1 ,jersey kale1 field cabbage1 turnips1 swedes1 mangel wurzel1 silver beet1 buckwheat1 potatoes1 linseed1 pig melon1 paspalum1 ,italian canary grass4 ,the irrigation plant is capable of dealing with #hj acres of land in the summer months4 ,some of the land thus treated is the rich dark alluvial on the river bank1 while a portion is on the higher clay plateau1 and consists of land typical of many thousands of acres in the same locality4 ,the land in its virgin state was timbered with red gum and flooded gum1 and cost about #ch4dj an acre to grub and clear1 and on such land with irrigation in the summer two heavy crops a year can be depended on4 ,illustration3 ,milking ,shed4 ,shortly after the ,state ,farm was established the ,government purchased over #ejj dairy cows in the eastern ,states1 and these were sold to ,western ,australian farmers in lots of ten at cost price on two-year terms1 with #e per cent4 interest added4 ,the ,government engaged a highly-qualified dairy expert in the person of ,mr4 ,kinsella1 of ,new ,zealand1 to visit the districts most likely to give attention to the dairying industry in the immediate future1 and by means of personal interviews1 addresses1 leaflets1 and concisely-written pamphlets1 ,mr4 ,kinsella did valuable work in distributing information and directing the beginner on the right road to successful dairying4 ,mr4 ,kinsella subsequently severed his connection with the department1 and he has been recently succeeded by ,mr4 ,abernethy1 who has obtained the very highest diplomas in ,england in connection with dairying4 ,mr4 ,abernethy recently arrived from ,great ,britain1 and has now entered upon his duties1 and it is confidently believed that his efforts will result in a number of farmers being induced to embark in the industry on sound and practical lines4 ,the new selector will also have the benefit and the advice of the ,director of ,agriculture1 ,mr4 ,mc,nulty1 on all matters concerning his soil1 his stock1 and the marketing of his produce4 ,lands for ,dairy ,farming4 ,with a view to settling practical farmers with limited means on the rich and heavily-timbered lands in the southern portion of the ,state the ,government have a large number of surveyors at work surveying the land into suitable sized blocks1 ranging from #bjj to #gjj acres each4 ,main roads have been cleared to serve these areas1 and a proposal to clear #aj acres on each block for the plough is now under consideration4 ,railways will be pushed through this country as rapidly as possible4 ,the annual average rainfall over this country averages from #ce in4 to #dj in41 and the land contains some of the richest soil in the ,state4 ,price of ,land4 ,the price of land ranges from about #d4hj to #ai4bj an acre1 and each new selector over sixteen years of age will have the right to practically a free grant of #afj acres1 additional land being available at approximately the prices quoted1 the payments for which will be spread over twenty years without interest4 ,the selector will also have the privilege of borrowing from the ,state ,agricultural ,bank for ringbarking1 clearing1 water conservation1 and subsequently for stock and implements1 the loan being repaid over a term of thirty years1 for the first five years of which interest only at the rate of #e per cent4 per annum will be payable4 ,prior to the blocks being thrown open the prices will be advertised and the amount of loan the bank is prepared to advance to suitable applicants on each block will be fixed4 ,illustration3 ,devon ,cattle in ,australia4 ,illustration3 ,prime ,herd of ,jerseys4 ,butter ,factories4 ,at the present time there are three butter factories operating in the ,state1 and no doubt when the ,dairying ,industry has developed sufficiently a number of co-operative factories will be started4 ,the men who decide to devote their energies to the ,dairying ,industry will have the advantage of a magnificent local market to start on1 as at the present time ,western ,australia is sending something like #dhjj4jj a day to the eastern ,states for dairy produce4 ,,tasmania4 ,the conditions of ,tasmania are eminently favourable for dairy farming4 ,up till recent years the industry did not receive much attention1 but now that a start has been made butter production is advancing rapidly4 ,the ,land ,required4 ,the foundation of the ,dairying ,industry is grass1 and to get grass1 good land and plenty of moisture is required4 ,therefore anyone proposing to go into this business should endeavour to secure the very best land obtainable4 ,there is a large quantity available1 especially in the north-western and north-eastern parts of the island4 ,there is a great deal also in the southern districts4 ,information can always be obtained from the ,lands ,department and the district surveyors1 and no difficulty should be experienced by the intending dairy farmer in finding land suitable for his purpose4 ,the more open parts of the ,state1 such as the midlands and the east coast1 where there is natural grass1 have largely passed into private hands1 and later selectors have had to take up1 clear1 and lay down in pasture the more heavily-timbered portions4 ,this1 however1 is not altogether the handicap it appears at first sight1 as the returns from the very rich scrub lands are by far the highest4 ,it is easy to judge of the quality of land by the indigenous timber upon it4 ,rich land1 suitable for laying down in grass1 is covered with a dense growth of sassafras1 tree-fern1 musk1 and pear tree1 with large blue or swamp gums1 and an underbush of what are known as cathead ferns4 ,stringy-bark trees mean a poorer soil1 and any land bearing them should be avoided if possible4 ,any person of eighteen years of age and upwards may select an area not exceeding #bjj acres of first-class land1 provided he does not hold land on credit under any previous ,act4 ,he is required to pay a cash deposit of #j4jd an acre at the time of sale1 an instalment of #j4jf an acre for each of the two following years1 #j4bd an acre annually for the next four years1 #j4cf an acre for the next four years1 and #j4dh per acre for the next eight years4 ,the survey fee is paid1 one-fifth in cash and the balance by four equal annual payments1 with interest added1 unless the selector elects to pay it off at once1 when interest is remitted4 ,every encouragement short of giving the fee simple of the land away for nothing is afforded the intending settler1 and he can acquire a freehold on easier terms in ,tasmania than anywhere else4 ,illustration3 ,ayrshire ,herd1 ,new ,south ,wales4 ,clearing the ,land4 ,clearing a selection for dairy farming is a very different operation from the clearing required for fruit-growing4 ,where the land is to be laid down in pasture1 no ploughing has to be done1 consequently the cost is very much less4 ,in clearing land for grass it is the best plan to first of all ring all the eucalyptus trees4 ,this consists in cutting a ring round the tree with axes through the bark and sapwood1 or alburnum1 into the brown wood beneath4 ,the crude sap1 bearing in solution the various organic matters which the roots have extracted from the soil1 ascends by the outer layer of wood immediately beneath the bark to the leaves1 where it is elaborated into plant food4 ,when this layer is cut through1 the food supply is immediately stopped1 and the tree dies4 ,the operation of ringing is best done during the winter1 when the sap is down1 and if properly performed at the right time the tree always dies very soon4 ,if possible1 the ringing should be done a year or two before the general clearing is commenced1 as all the dead leaves1 small branches1 and dead bark have time to fall1 and are then burned off with the rest of the scrub4 ,the next operation is to cut down all the brushwood and smaller growths with bill-hooks1 and then the rest of the scrub is felled with axes1 and allowed to lie until quite dry1 when it is burned off4 ,a good burn should leave very little to be cleared up1 but sometimes1 where there is such vegetation as sassafras or fallen tree-ferns1 a good deal of picking-up has to be done4 ,this means that all the unburnt timber on the ground has to be rolled together and burnt4 ,tree-ferns should not be felled1 as they do not burn well4 ,the best way of killing them is to cut off the fronds just below where they spring from the stem4 ,some knack is required to cut in just the right place1 but it is easily acquired4 ,there are certain precautions to be observed in burning-off1 which the settler should make himself acquainted with4 ,information on this point and in regard to any matters of practical interest to the beginner will be furnished gladly and without charge by experienced officers of the ,department of ,agriculture4 ,illustration3 ,clearing the ,land4 ,as soon as the land is burnt off the grass may be sown upon it4 ,no cultivation is usually given1 the grass-seed being sown upon the ashes remaining from the burnt scrub1 which forms very effective manure4 ,cocksfoot is the grass par excellence for this work1 as it is very hardy and nutritious1 and not attacked by insect pests to the same extent as others4 ,sometimes a mixture of cocksfoot1 ,english rye-grass1 and white clover is used1 or the two grasses alone are planted4 ,local information is the best guide obtainable as to what it is best to plant4 ,dairying thus becomes practicable in a year or two1 and returns are received much sooner than from any other branch of agriculture4 ,it will1 of course1 be necessary to clear a certain amount of the selection for cultivation1 so that crops may be grown1 and it is often better and cheaper in the end to devote the poorer and less heavily timbered parts of the holding to this purpose1 and buy manure4 ,some selectors clean up a part of the ground of roots and logs1 leaving all the big ringed timber standing1 and plough it up4 ,it requires some skill to steer a plough under these conditions1 but very good crops can be grown in this way4 ,butter ,factories4 ,properly equipped butter factories are situated at ,launceston 7#b71 ,deloraine1 ,burnie1 ,emu ,bay1 ,wynyard1 ,stanley1 ,smithton1 ,wilmot1 ,ringarooma1 ,derby1 and ,pyengana4 ,in the south there are only two of any magnitude1 one in ,hobart1 and the other at ,bream ,creek4 ,a well-equipped factory has been established on ,king ,island1 in ,bass ,straits1 a locality that has been found very suitable for dairying4 ,dairy ,herds4 ,the dairy herds of the ,state until a few years ago were of a somewhat nondescript type1 very few farmers having realised the necessity of improving the butter-yielding capacity of their stock4 ,recently1 however1 great improvements have taken place1 as the dairying industry has advanced1 until now many ,tasmanian dairymen own herds of the highest standard4 ,the work of improving the milking strains of cattle is in the hands of the farmers themselves1 but advice and assistance are always obtainable from the ,government ,dairy ,expert4 ,cheese-making4 ,this is a highly profitable branch of dairy farming1 and the product is so small in bulk compared with its value that it is eminently portable4 ,cheese-making can therefore be carried on under conditions where other forms of production would be difficult4 ,some skill and knowledge are required1 but the ,dairy ,expert regularly gives lectures and demonstrations on the subject in all the principal agricultural centres1 so that any intelligent person can easily obtain all the information he requires4 ,the principal cheese factories in the ,state are situated at ,st4 ,mary's1 ,pyengana1 ,emu ,bay1 ,devonport1 and ,circular ,head4 ,the cheese produced is very good in quality1 and a considerable export trade will soon be developed in it4 ,bacon-curing4 ,the production of hams and bacon is one of the collateral industries connected with dairying1 as the skim-milk and waste products form a very valuable food for fattening pigs4 ,excellent bacon is produced in ,tasmania1 and a good deal is exported1 but not nearly what might be produced4 ,illustration3 ,group of ,prize ,bulls4 ,dairy ,factories4 ,it is the introduction of the dairy factory system that has solved the problem of success or failure for the dairy farmer4 ,these institutions are becoming fairly numerous throughout the ,state1 and are all equipped with the most modern machinery and managed by expert men4 ,the farmer nearly always1 nowadays1 has his cream separator1 and all he has to take to the factory is the cream1 which does not occupy much space1 while the skimmed milk remains on the farm for feeding pigs or calves4 ,some of the dairy factories in the ,state are proprietary1 but others are on the co-operative system1 under which the farmers are the owners1 and share in the general profits1 as well as being paid for their cream4 ,mc,c,a,r,r,o,n1 ,,bird ,,co41 ,printers1 #dgi ,collins ,street1 ,melbourne4 ,footnote ,a3 ,the personnel of the ,commission was as follows3--,sir ,t4 ,carlaw ,martin1 ,edinburgh 7,chairman72 ,sir ,john ,r4 ,g4 ,sinclair1 ,bart41 ,barrock ,house1 ,wick 7,vice ,chairman72 ,dr4 ,j4 ,h4 ,wilson1 ,f4,r4,s4,e41 ,st4 ,andrew's ,university2 ,dr4 ,shirra ,gibb ,boon1 ,lauder2 ,william ,barber1 ,m4,a41 ,tererran1 ,moniaive2 ,j4 ,mc,hutchen ,dobbie1 ,campend1 ,dalkeith2 ,james ,dunlop1 ,kilmarnock2 ,r4 ,b4 ,greig1 ,f4,r4,s4,e41 ,cults2 ,william ,henderson1 ,lawton1 ,coupar-,angus2 ,james ,keith1 ,pitmeddan1 ,udny2 ,e4 ,e4 ,morrison1 ,m4,a41 ,bonnington1 ,siravithie2 and ,alex4 ,m4 ,prain1 ,errol 7,secretary74