294 Journal of Agriculture. [^ ^May, 1907, 



set of tubes is used. The udders being washed, the tubes are fixed to the 

 first two cows, with the receiving can between them. The next two cows 

 are then seen to. and, as soon as the flush of milk is drawn from the first 

 two, the tubes are moved on to the second pair, and he strips the first cows 

 out by hand ; and so on, using the machine to its full working capacitv. 

 The cows take kindly to the innovation, and a leg-rope is seldom used. 



Want of Forethought and Forework. 



The water supply of the shire is its especial feature. The 

 springs of the hills form creeks for the lower ground ; and there is a 

 fairlv well distributed rainfall sufficient for all requirements. This 

 abundance of water probablv is the principal reason for the farmers 

 making almost no provision for conserving green feed ; the silo being a 

 regrettable raritv. The last two summers, however, proving exceptionally 

 dry, have found those least favorably situated totallv unprepared ; and a 

 diminution of dairying returns has resulted. It is possible, therefore, that 

 some good effect mav be brought about bv this, for the lesson thus 

 severely taught may be the means of inculcating the principle of being 

 prepared as far as possible for all seasonable variations, which can most 

 easily be effected bv the use of the silo. 



Extent of Dairying. 

 Altogether there are some 140 farms engaged more or less in dairying 

 in the shire, Avith an approximate total of 1,300 milking cows, or aliout 

 an average of nine cows per farm. Of this total the hilK countrv has 

 about 400 head on 60 farms, or an average of less than seven per farm. 

 This refers only to farms which sell dairv produce, for on nearlv everv 

 place some stock is kept, if onlv to supply the household with milk and 

 butter and raiise a vealer. Here, too, the stock is in most instances of a 

 decided mongrel appearance. Where ancestry is at all discernable it is 

 the usual Ayrshire or Jersey. The latter have decidedly the best of it 

 both in their coat and udder capacity, and the owners affirm that their 

 appearance is backed up by results. 



Limitations through dependence on Grazing. 



In this hilly country the extent of the dairying operations is strictly 

 limited by the area which each farm has sown to grass and cultivated for 

 green feed or ha v. The principal mistake which new settlers in the dis- 

 trict are apt to make is in not taking this fully into account, they being 

 thus apt to err through overstocking. Acreage of bush land with native 

 grass has very small value here when gauged by butter retiu-ns, for, though 

 a limited number of young dry stock will keep in fair condition on it, 

 it will starve down a milker in remarkably short time. With clearing and 

 cultivation, however, the fei-fility of the soil becomes apparent. Cocks- 

 foot and clovers are the grasses most commonly sown ; and the red clover 

 especiallv can be depended on to- make good growth and establish itself 

 permanently. 



Marketing Produce. 



Potatoes and fruit growing are the other branches of farming mostly 

 taken up by the settlers in this district; and, when the difficulties of 

 marketing this class of produce are compared with that from dairy 

 farming, the latter would appear to be the most suitable. The roads are 



