924 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



times, liaviug assisted with plans and advice the successful inaugura- 

 tion of some new co-operative factories, also in rectifying faults in 

 manufactiare and management, and have always been well received by 

 both managers and directors who have frequently sought my counsel. 

 I have visited 99 farms and given information re feeding and general 

 management, particularly of milk and cream, but owing to the want 

 of a proper system of dairy inspection good results have been nothing 

 like so pronounced as would have been the case had we a proper 

 system of dairy inspection. However, when I have been able to 

 explain the object and provisions of the proposed bill drafted by the 

 Department of Agriculture, they have been universally approved of, 

 all admitting the necessity of a proper system of dairy inspection, and 

 expressing confidence in the officers of the Department. It was con- 

 ceded that little good will be derived from leaving it under the control 

 of the municipalities, owing to local influences preventing the inspector 

 from executing his duties in a fearless and straightforward manner. 

 I have visited six agricultural shows for the purpose of testing milk 

 in connection with the dairy cow competitions (an account of some of 

 which have been published in the Journal of the Department), and 

 also for giving information to farmers. I have attended seven centres 

 in connection with the farmers' classes, inaugurated by the Director 

 of Agriculture, giving as many as six lectures at one centre, on 

 breeding and management of stock and dairy, instructing them in 

 the use of the Babcock tester for culling out the unprofitable cows. 

 I have found the students take great interest in this branch, and feel 

 sure that the result will be of great value to the farmers themselves 

 and the State as a whole. 



Mr. Carroll reports : — For the year ending June 30tli I visited 

 and inspected 141 dairy farms, 40 factories and 15 creameries, 

 attended at four country shows to supervise milking cow tests and 

 conduct testing. I regret to say that I am unable to record any 

 progress in dairy inspection since my last report ; a number of shires 

 have abandoned dairy inspection entirely, not because they think it 

 unnecessary and valueless, but chiefly on account of its patchy 

 application. In the shires still continuing the system of inspection 

 there is a noticeable slackening of the efforts of those charged with 

 carrying it out, due no dovibt to the absence of a compulsory and 

 universal system of inspection. It is painful for me to again refer to 

 the uncleanly state of some dairy farms, and to find on my second 

 and third visits the advice given on previous occasions utterly disre- 

 garded. I feel certain that a system of inspection, combined with 

 instruction, would confer a boon on the dairying industry of Victoria, 

 and when properly understood would be welcomed and appreciated 

 by the majority of dairy farmers. In my visits to the dairy farms I 

 was able to give a good deal of advice in regard to the culling and 

 breeding of dairy stock, conservation of fodder, and the proper care 

 of the milk and cream. The greater part of the export season was 

 taken up in attending to instruction in butter factories, and I am 

 pleased to state that I was thus enabled to do a considerable amount 

 of practical good. Factories experiencing any difficulty with the 



