ic March, 1910.] The Advantages of Subdivision of Estates. 



143 



number of cows milking at the dates of the two spring inspections of 

 1906-7 and 1909-10. still, from the 400 cows, the returns at the first 

 date were (approximatel\) 520 gallons per day; while on the latter 

 inspection the yield was 770 gallons — an increase of almost 50 per cent, 

 within three years. In the former instance, these cows were in three 

 herds; now they are di\ided into seven. By this subdivision, not only 

 have the cows much shorter distances to travel to the sheds, but the number 

 of hands engaged in milking has been increased from 18 to 25 ; which 



II. THE OLD CHATEAU YERING SHEDDING. 



allows for the work being done more quickly ; and the cattle having more 

 time to graze, or rather having less time under durance in the yards and 

 sheds. A good many of those engaged in milking the stock now, have 

 also a personal interest in the results; which makes for better work than 

 usually results from hired labour. As the cultivation in this three years 

 has also increased from 320 acres to 785 acres, and several silos have 

 been built, the increased yield may be expected to be maintained, and 

 possibly improved upon. There are several families residing on the 

 estate ; and, whereas the total number of hands previously emplox ed was 

 usually less than 40, there are now about 70 regular employes and 20 

 temporary men on the place. 



The cheese factory books show milk purchased up to 1,195 gallons 

 per day, with an average of 900 gallons per day for the months of October, 

 November, and December. This, of course, includes surplus milk from 

 farms in the neighbourhood other than those on the old estate; and if 

 it were not for the establishment of this factory almost the whole of 

 this milk would have been under offer to city retailers. There is no 

 doubt, therefore, that the withdrawal of this milk from the city supplv 

 would have some little bearing on the wholesale price of the milk forwarded 

 from here during the past spring months ; and the producers of the city 

 supply have reason to be slightlv interested in the success of this factory. 



As the whole of these farms now dairying are possible of being culti- 

 vated, and only a small portion of each is at present broken up, it will 

 be many years yet before all will have reached their full limit of produc- 

 tiveness as regards dairy farming. With its handy position to the railway 

 station, proximity to the metropolis, first class water supply, and splendid 

 soil, the Yering district has many advantages that render it particularly 

 adapted for dairy farming when carried out on up-to-date lines. 



