ON AGRICULTURE TO IRELAND 89 



almost an impossibility. Other creameries were unnecessarily far 

 from railway stations, and sometimes it happened that one 

 creamery trenched on the territory of another, so that neither 

 had room from which to draw a sufficient supply of milk to run 

 the creamery economically. 



In order to guard against mistakes such as the foregoing, the 

 Department of Agriculture, which has several Creamery In- 

 spectors, gives advice in connection with the erection of 

 creameries. In one of their leaflets, the Department suggests 

 that creameries should, as far as possible, be erected at a distance 

 of six miles from each other, in situations where there is an ample 

 supply of good water, where there is a fall from the creamery of 

 10 feet in every 200 yards, where a number of roads converge on 

 the creamery, and where good railway facilities are available. 



The Department of Agriculture is now also prepared to 

 supply plans for creameries of various sizes. These plans are 

 not intended to supersede the work of the local architect, who may 

 have the supervision of the building operations, but rather to 

 assist and guide him in his work. They provide among other 

 things for ample room, so that the walls may not be splashed 

 with milk and the attendants can get freely round the machines, 

 for smooth floors with a sufficient fall, for an abundance of light 

 and ventilation, for an efficient well-trapped drainage system, and 

 the like. 



Water Supplies 



No creamery or auxiliary should be set down anywhere unless 

 the members are thoroughly satisfied that an ample supply of 

 good water is assured, as without such no creamery can be run at 

 a profit. The quantity of water required is usually calculated at 

 three times that of the maximum amount of milk likely to be 

 supplied. In some cases river water may be used for cooling 

 purposes. Eiver water will, however, scarcely ever be so cold as 

 well water, and in that respect it will be deficient for dairy 

 purposes, as an ample supply of pure cold water is a great 

 acquisition to any creamery. The Department recommend that 

 where a well is sunk it should be at some part of the ground 

 where no surface water will drain into it, and of such a capacity 

 below the water level as will meet all the requirements of the 

 creamery. They also suggest that the lining of the well should 

 be backed with puddled clay for 15 feet down, and that the upper 

 portion of the well should be covered with concrete. 



Delivering Milk at the Creameries 



Over a great part of Ireland the bulk of the farms are so small 

 that the number of cows usually kept only ranges from six to 

 twelve, and in many districts there are numerous farms with 

 under six cows. Those with the smallest number of cows 

 occasionally bring in their milk in two cans hanging on each side 

 of a donkey. Sometimes the mode of conveyance is the donkey 



