262 The 'Book of the Coat. 



one goat was reckoned to produce 578 cheeses, which sold 

 for 20 centimes, or 2d. each, thus placing the price per 

 litre (if pints) at a fraction over 2d., or little more 

 than 2jd. per quart. The kids were sold at a fort- 

 night or three weeks old at 3 francs each, so that, 

 allowing a couple to every goat, the gross return from each 

 animal was 130 francs, or in English money about ^5 35. 

 The cost, on the other hand, for food, wages, &c., allow- 

 ing for depreciation in value of stock and interest on 

 capital sunk, was set down at ^3 53., showing a net profit 

 per goat of i i8s. 



An Experimental Goat Farm. 



A goat dairy farm was started in 1882 on an eminence 

 among the Surrey hills, between Leatherhead 'and 

 Dorking. I paid a visit to this farm shortly after it was 

 established, there being then about 120 goats of a very 

 mixed and nondescript character, most of the animals 

 of the long-haired Irish breed. The experiment was 

 not a success under the management of the original 

 proprietor, who was unable to obtain a ready sale all at 

 once for the quantity of milk he had, and the farm 

 was subsequently sold to the Express Dairy Company, 

 in whose hands, had success been at all possible, it would 

 no doubt have proved a profitable undertaking. There 

 were, however, many difficulties to contend with, the chief 

 being that of securing a sufficient number of goats in milk 

 to supply the demand in autumn and winter, and of 

 creating a demand equal to the supply in summer. As 

 a result the farm after a short time was given up as 

 unprofitable. 



Is G oat-Farming Profitable? 



Every now and again some inexperienced person 

 writes to the Press advocating goat-farming, and not many 



