DAIRYING. 193 



The Berry Estate, one of tlie noblest properties in the country, 

 consisting of between eighty and ninety thousand acres, was formed 

 by the Late Alexr. Berry in 1822, at the southern end of Ilhiwarra, 

 locating- his homestead at the foot of Coolangatta ]\[ouiit, near tlif 

 mouth of the Shoalhavcn River. The work has been largely ])astoraI, 

 Avith a considerable portion devoted to agriculture and dairying. It 

 has been a liive of progressive industry from the iirst, giving employ- 

 ment to all kinds of workmen ; and the administration under Mr. Jierry 

 and his two succeeding brothers has always been kind and liberal, 

 almost paternal. In 18J9 the estate carried a resident population of 

 3,500 persons. Besides the multitude of men employed on the estate, 

 there have always been numbers of tenants who were on the " luilves" 

 system, by which respectable families with nothing of their own, but 

 their ability and willingness to work, were entrusted by the Messrs. 

 Berry with good farms, stock, implements, &c., on an equal division 

 of the yearly results ; the worker and the capitalist thus taking 

 equal shares in the success or failure in the joint enterprise. Many of 

 these families have in time been enabled from their savings to take up 

 good estates for themselves elsewhere. On the death of ^\v. David 

 Berry, a few years ago, the estate cams into the hands of Dr. Jno. 

 Hay, who has within the last three years spent £135,000 in improving 

 the estate, and providing homes for 150 more families. 



Of late much of the cultivated lands have been put into pasture for 

 daiiyiug, and all such farms are now held under a definite rent. The 

 district has always been one highly esteemed by dairymen, and until 

 this year has supported twelve independent dairy factories, either on 

 or adjoining this estate, and working up yearly the cream of over 

 0,000,000 gallons of milk from 12,800 cows. 



Recognising the necessity before pointed out for high class butter 

 being made in larger quantities, and so obtaining more uniformity of 

 quality, Dr. Hay erected at his own cost last winter one of the best and 

 most complete butter factories in the country. One of the churns 

 turns out over half a ton of butter at once ; and the capacity of the 

 present establishment is about 10 tons per day. Although, owing to 

 the severe drought of the present season, the daily output is but little 

 over 4 tons. The whole of the twelve butter factories just referred to 

 were invited to come in and support this central factory, sending 

 their creams to be manufactured into one uniform and standard article, 

 instead of having twelve different brands of butter, of varying quali- 

 ties. With one exception, they have all recognised the economic 

 advantages of this system. The business is supposed to run almost 

 entirely in the interests of the producers, and justly so ; but the 

 indirect benefit to the estate in the increased prosperity and content- 

 ment of the tenants, will ]io doubt prove an appreciable factor. 



Another large dairying estate of perhaps 30,000 acres in the far 

 south of the colony is worked on different lines again. Here the pro- 

 prietor has erected a most complete and efficient establishment for all 

 kinds of dairy-work, recognised as one of the best in the colonj'. 

 Besides several large herds of milch cows worked by the employees of 

 the estate, there are many others worked by dairy families on agree- 

 ment, thus : The manager, on being satisfied of the respectability and 



