10 Nov., 1917.] Farmers' Field Day al Wcrrihee. 669 



in 1909 by natural increase, local purchase, uml importation. He 

 stressed tlio importance of performanci' at tlie milking pail in building 

 up a dairy herd, and said tbat tbe Department bad in its possession 

 the milking and butter fat records of every cow that had ever passed 

 through this herd, and had rigorously culled on that test. 



The effect of that was shown by the prominent place this Red Polled 

 herd occupied in the Government herd-testing competitions. Just at 

 this time a big-framed cow, with the stamp of deep-milking qualities 

 writ large upon her, strolled into a prominent i)osition just in front of 

 the speaker. " That," he said, " is Muria, who in 1915-16 produced no 

 less than 881 pounds of butter fat in 365 days. In that year, in respect 

 to butter fat jjroduction, she was the champion cow of any breed in 

 Australia, and the cham])iou Red Polled in the world. She was given 

 no extra pampering. This year, notwithstanding that she had had milk 

 fever, she had produced 600 lbs. of butter fat." Numerous questions 



Portion of the Red Poll Herd. 



were put to the speaker, especially as to the performance of this cow, 

 the feeding of the herd generally, and the price of the young stock. 



The visitors were next conducted to the farm buildings proper, where 

 the practical efficiency of the design of the buildings and their general 

 lay-out excited favorable comment. Visits were paid to the dairy and 

 milking shed, and the stables, while admirers of horses found much to 

 interest them in a display of brood mares and the horse " Major Gates." 



After afternoon tea had been served in the large hayshed, oppor- 

 tunity was taken by His Excellency the State Governor, the Hon. the 

 Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Swinburne (Inter-State Commissioner), 

 and a number of other distinguished visitors, to speak in terms of 

 unqualified approval of what they had seen. The dominant note of 

 most speeches was the need for the awakening of public interest in 

 research work in agriculture, and the need for patience in awaiting 

 results. 



Sir Arthur Stanley congi-atulated Dr. Cameron on the excellent work 

 done by the Department of Agriculture at the State Research Farm. 



