84 Journal op the Department op agriculture. 



General. 



The dairy industry of the Union is in a somewhat peculiar posi- 

 tion at the present time, owing- to the excessively high prices being 

 paid for both milk and cream for cheese and butter production, and 

 a fall in prices for the manufactured article, which is bound to come 

 sooner or later, will, I am afraid, lead to heavy financial losses. 

 There is also a tendency to erect creameries in districts which are 

 already fully provided for, and a still greater tendency to erect what 

 might be termed " one horse shows," which, in many instances, are 

 badly equipped and still worse managed. Of course, under the Dairy 

 Industry Act of 1918, such premises could be refused registration, 

 but it is extremely difficult to know where to draw the line, and I 

 consider it will be necessary in the near future to define clearly, by 

 Proclamation, what a registered creamery must consist of, requiring 

 all buildings erected thereafter to comply therewith. 



In many directions, however, improvements are noticeable, and 

 f aimers are paying more attention to winter feeding than was 

 formerly the case. Increased and better shedding accommodation is 

 being provided, and there is a steady improvement in the quality of 

 dairy stock generally. The progress of dairying in the Transvaal 

 Province is perhaps not quite as rapid as that of the other Provinces ; 

 there is room for considerable development in winter dairying in the 

 northern Transvaal, which, in my opinion, is one of the best winter- 

 dairying areas m the Union. 



The keeping of milk records of pedigree stock continues to make 

 rapid strides, and its benefit is now being fully realized by those who 

 have participated therein. Although the present system of keeping 

 records applies, with one or two exceptions, to Friesland breeders 

 only, it is hoped that before long all pure-breed societies will 

 amalgamate and so considerably reduce the present expenses. 



Entrance Drive, P6tchcfstroom School of Agriculture. 



