8 May, T907.] Da/rvii/g iiinicr Diificiiltics. 295 



both steep and rough, and railway freights are high through the break 

 of gauge on the Gembrook line necessitating re-handling at Fern Tree 

 Gull)-. Both these items are of greatest moment when maxketing such 

 bulky products as fruit and potatoes, and are of least import when moving 

 such concentrated produce as cream and butter. These latter products 

 have also everything in their fa\'our in their weekly returns and more 

 settled market value. 



Necessity for Manure Conservation. 



Again the dairy farm, when properly attended to, is practically self- 

 supporting in the item Oif manure, an item of considerable magnitude on 

 other than first-class land ; whereas both fruit and potatoes, if not farmed 

 in conjunction with dairying, call for some portion of their monetary 

 returns to be expended in purchase and freight of artificial manures. 

 Several instances are met with in this district, where the lack of attention 

 to the conservation of the farm-yard manure is allowed to lessen the 

 profits. This most valuable product is left lying in the stock-yard to be 

 broken to dust and blown away, or washed down h\ each shower to the 

 nearest water-course ; while the owner purchases artificial manure to, in 

 some measure only, replace it. Where stock is kept the necessity for 

 purchasing fertilisers should be reduced to a minimum. 



Winter 'Care of Cattle. 



Although the advantages of housing or rugging cattle in winter have 

 been trumpeted throughout the length and breadth of the land, it is strange 

 to find that here, where if anywhere, those advantages would be most 

 marked, the matter has been altogether overlooked. The majority of the 

 milking cows are perforce allowed to dry off in the cold months through 

 want of attention in this respect, combined with the neglect to grow 

 succulent fodder, which has l)een previously commented on. 



Dairy Sanitation. 

 Where the milking stalls have been floored it has usually been with 

 roughly-laid slabs, and the results have not been satisfactory, as the urine 

 undersoaks and stagnates beneath them, giving rise to odorous emanations 

 which cannot but affect the milk prejudicially. There are, however, good 

 grounds for the hope that, as a result of personal conferences between 

 the farmers and dairv supervisors, this defect will in great measure cease 

 to exist. As showing that where there is. a will there is usually a way to 

 be clean, mav be cited the case of a farmer in an out-of-the-way corner 

 of the shire where flooring material, other than wood, is difficult to obtain. 

 Though the flooring is of the usual wooden slab formation, provision had 

 been made in this instance for carrying off the drainage by leaving the 

 slabs at the rear of the stall movable, and placing an underneath flooring 

 at that part of corrugated iron laid crosswise beneath it. After sweeping, 

 the flushing of the slabs carried all dirt down this iron drainage way, 

 and a little drv lime scattered on the floor assisted to keep the shed clean. 

 The tarring of the corrugated iron on both sides considei-ably lengthens 

 its term of usefulness. It would also be a considerable improvement to 

 soak the wooden slabs with toiling tar before layijig them. But above 

 all tO' secure imperviousness or pre\-ent under soaking of a wooden slab 

 floor, the slabs require to be squared evenh , so that close joints may be 

 secured. Then, if these joints are grouted with tar and sand, the job 



