7/8 JoKnial of Agriculture, Victoria. [lo Nov., 191 1. 



In addition to our local market, there should be a fair opening for 

 broom fibre in Tasmania and Western Australia. A sample of Victorian 

 millet sent to England was valued at ^22 per ton, and inquiries made 

 for a supply. 



Good millet will always pay, and a careful grower will never fall short 

 of a market. On any fairly-equipped farm, the crop can be grown with 

 little expense for machinery ; and, in conjunction with other farming pur- 

 suits, is worthy of a trial in suitable districts. 



RED POLLS AS MILKERS. 



Temple A. J. Smith, Chief Field Officer. 



The following tables show the milking returns from a small herd of 

 Ked Polled Cattle, which has been kept at the Go\-ernment Ibbacco 

 Farm at V\'hitfield for the past milking season. Six of the milkers were 

 on their first calf, six others on their second, and one cow, Beulah, on 

 her fourth. 



These cows ha\e been fed on the produce of the farm only, no bran 

 or other feed being purchased for them. The natural grasses on the 

 113 acres on which they were kept are of poor rough quality, but green 

 crops of rye, oats, and mixtures of rye, peas, and vetches have been 

 grown for the herd. Oaten hay has also been liberally fed, together 

 with silage made from rye. peas, vetches, oats, and maize. 



The cows were selected as heifers by Dr. S. S. Cameron from a herd 

 bred by Mr. M. Evans, of Lima South, who has given special attention 

 to the development of a milking strain of the breed. On several occa- 

 sions, Mr. P_:vans took prizes at the Benalla Show, both for butter-fat 

 test and for quantity of milk. The bull (" Tabacum ") used in the 

 Government herd was purchased from Captain Philip Charley, of 

 "Belmont," Richmond. X.S.W., and is bv the imported sire "Acton 

 Ajax, '' in whose ancestry the milking strain is stronglv developed. His 

 first lot of calves show fine milking features, in addition to the other 

 well-known characteristics of the breed. There has been a good demand 

 for the bull calves, which have been sold at six months old, at prices 

 based on the milk-yielding capacity of the dam. 



The aljsence of horns is a great advantage in dairy cattle, and in this 

 herd there has been no instance of injury to one animal by another. 

 The cattle are splendid doers, being alwavs in good condition. When 

 dried off they put on beef (]uickly. Being small-boned they are in good 

 favour with the butchers. 



All the cows in this herd are easv milkers with good teats of fair 

 size. The.se (lualifications. taken in conjunction with the milk yields, 



