14 



Jourtial of Agriculture. 



[8 Jan., 1908. 



adjunct in dairying and a good warm house is essential if tlie best is to be 

 made out of tliem. A good calf pen should have plenty of light and air, 

 without draughts, and should be provided with a low set rack for ihe 

 holding of some sweet hay. If this is provided, after having their milk, 

 the calves will almost invariably turn to chewing it instead of indulging 

 in that bad habit of sucking each other. If a smaller pen is .set aside 

 for the young ones and they are left there till they take to the milk readily 

 much annoyance is saved. Calves and pigs kept in a warm dry shed, so 

 i)uilt that the morning sun can reach them, will do wiih much less food 

 than those kept in cold draughty surroundings. 



I saw some good pig styes and some very indifferent ones. It is 

 much better to have a drain leading to a compost heap instead of soaking 

 awav over the ground. The same might be said concerning cow sheds. I 

 cannot understand a farmer in a reasonably comfortable financial position 

 waiting to be asked by a supervisor to pave and drain his cow bails with 

 bricks. If farmers took into consideration the time and labour that a 

 stone floor involves they would soon be convinced that in two or three 

 years a brick floor pays for itself in the saving of labour alone. Besides 

 i:>eing easier and quicker to clean out, milking can be got through better 

 and with less annoyance, and further it is very pleasing to see a well 

 paved shed. 



While efforts are being put forth to improve the l)reed of horses, 

 cattle and sheep no attempt seems to be made for the improvement of 

 pigs. I did not see a brood sow on anv of the farms inspected and the 

 class of pig seen in the styes was not the most profitable,, although up to 

 the average generallv kept on farms. But one expects to find a class of 

 animal a little out of the ordinary on farms entered for a competition. 



In conclusion I will just state that in awarding the points I gave the 

 merits and demerits of each farm my undivided attention from start to 

 finish, and if some of the contemplated improvements are carried out by 

 some of the competitors it is quite possible the order of merit will be 

 reversed on another occasion. If any of the competitors wish to know 

 mv reasons for allotting them points either high or low I will be pleased 

 to state them. Further, if any of the comments I have passed on the 

 farms collertivelv bear good fruit in the direction of .setting the owners 

 thinking, I will be satisfied, as it is from want of thought that half our 

 troubles come. 



Summary of Points Awarded. 



