18 EDUCATION IN DAIRY FARMING, AND 



either subject. As one of the judges, however, appointed for 

 the first examination, we can testify to the value attached to 

 the diploma, to the earnestness of the competitors, and still more 

 to the great need of instruction, as exemplified by the results. 

 We do not anticipate a repetition of so much ignorance on the 

 part of the majority, and have every reason to believe that the 

 next examinations (in May) will be attended not only by still 

 more persons, but by candidates of much greater attainments. 



Dairy Farm Records. 



From year to year considerable instruction has been given to 

 dairy farmers through the medium of the Farm Record Com- 

 petition, which was instituted, upon the proposal of Mr Thomas 

 Higgin of Liverpool to give a fifty pound challenge cup for the 

 best kept record. It is well known that an accurately kept 

 record of the milk-yield of cows, and of the work performed in a 

 dairy, leads to improvements in the system adopted, and to an 

 increase in the profits of a farm or a dairy. The Association's 

 record competitions have therefore afforded a means of in- 

 struction to farmers themselves, and there are now hundreds 

 who keep records, more or less elaborate, of a practical nature, 

 where they were almost unknown before Mr Higgin offered his 

 liberal prize. 



Dairy Conference. 



In all probability the most remarkable position which British 

 dairying has now assumed has been gained more by the aid and 

 impetus given by the annual conferences of dairy farmers than 

 by any other special course of action. To Dr Bond of Gloucester 

 belongs the credit of gathering together the first body of pro- 

 minent British dairy farmers and others interested in the advance 

 of dairy work. It was our privilege to co-operate with Dr Bond 

 at the Gloucester Conference, and he and his friends, in theu' 

 turn, gave their cordial support when, at the annual meeting of 

 the British Dairy Farmers' Association, the following resolution 

 was brought before the members — " That .... it be an instruc- 

 tion to the council to take into their early consideration the desira- 

 bility of holding at least one annual conference on matters con- 

 nected with dairying and dairy farming, at some place in the 

 provinces to be selected from time to time." This was carried, 

 and, the council entering into the scheme, the first conference 

 was held in Cheshire, the second in Derbyshire, and the third, 

 in 1887, in Ireland, — the leading men in each county, as well as 

 in Ireland, taking every possible means to promote the success 

 which was invariably attained. The last two conferences were 

 attended by leading authorities from America, France, Holland, 

 and Sweden ; the fourth is to take place in Norfolk and Suffolk, 



