710 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Dec, 1918. 



phosphate in the shape of wool, hides, meat, &c., from his farm had 

 been going to market for eighty years past, and that available lime 

 was gradually being washed away from about the grass roots by the 

 heavy rainfall. 



Turning from this faulty management, and taking another glimpse 

 at " Clifton," the visitor realizes that business capacity is very evident 

 there, and that a spirit of thoroughness, spelling success, pervades the 

 place. 



DAIRYING ON A SMALL AREA. 



W. F. Beacom, Dairy Supervisor. 



Some people with limited capital hesitate to engage in the dairying 

 business owing to the belief that a large area of land is essential to 

 success. That this idea is erroneous has been repeatedly proved by 

 quite a number of farmers, who, dairying in a small way, are not only 

 making a living, but whose work shows a handsome profit that con- 

 sistently increases. 



It frequently occurs that the dairy farmer with a large acreage 

 is inclined to depend almost wholly upon the natural supply of grass 

 instead of growing a supply of fodder for his herd. Not until a 

 drought or an exceptionally long winter is experienced does the farmer 

 realize how foolish was his oversight in not conserving a supply of 

 fodder, and then, when the times of stress are past, too often he forgets 

 the lesson that has been taught him. 



It is a very noticeable fact that large dairy herds have a much lower 

 average than those of small or moderate size. There are many reasons 

 to which this may be attributed, but improper feeding is the chief 

 cause of low average returns. The man on the smaller area soon 

 learns that it is only by cultivating his farm to its utmost producing 

 capacity that he will be able to make his herd satisfactorily profitable; 

 for, even with the best of cows, grazing alone will not go far to sustain 

 a milk supply. The essential factor for success in all small dairy farms 

 Is, therefore, cultivation, combined, of course, with proper subdivision 

 of the land, conservation of and careful use of all farmyard manure, 

 and the exercise of good judgment in the choice of foundation stock. 

 These suggestions are very comprehensive, and many people find it 

 difficult to make a beginning on lines which cover the whole of them. 

 Occasionally, however, a most striking example is found where a 

 farmer has begun on a small area without any fundamental point 

 being overlooked, and consequently success has been achieved from the 

 start. 



An instnnce of this recently came under notice when an inspection of 

 a farm in the Whittlesea Shire was being made. A few years agx). Mr. 

 William Horn, of Epping-road, Thomastown, who formerly ran a herd 

 of 60 cows in the Woodstock district, was compelled, by a combination 

 of circumstances, of which ill-health and scarcity of labour were the 

 principal contributing causes, to practically retire from dairy farming 

 on a large scale. Purchasing his present home, surrounding which 

 there are only 10 acres, he for a little time thought he had actually 

 finished with dairying, but his 10 acres of land seemed as wasted to 



