110 THE LAND AND ITS PROBLEMS 



grass ; as a fact, the area of first-class grass is very small 

 — probably only 500,000 acres. 



In 1 91 8 the yield was 548 gallons per acre, or nearly 

 three times that obtained from land in grass. A great 

 advantage is that, under this system, the flow of milk is 

 not subject to the sudden variations that occur in the 

 case of cows feeding on grass ; and another is that the 

 yield of milk is heavier in the winter months than it is 

 in the summer. 



The cost of feeding under this system is practically 

 the same all the year round ; and if farmers will only 

 take to it, it will prove of great assistance in the 

 solution of that serious problem — the winter milk 

 famine. 



The net profits obtained were ,^20 os. 3d. per acre, 

 which are enormous, and which are naturally larger 

 than would be obtained from a large farm worked on 

 the same system. These profits are arrived at after 

 deducting all costs, including interest at 6 per cent on 

 capital and 10 per cent depreciation. 



In practice, and when once organized and established, 

 this system does not involve any great increase of labour 

 over the ordinary mixed farm. 



We stand in need of more demonstrations of the value 

 of this system, in different parts of the country, if we are 

 to wean the farmer from his undue dependence upon 

 grass. It is extraordinary, when one looks into it, to 

 find how little it is realized even amongst farmers that 

 ordinary grass is only first-class food during three months 

 of the year. I shall include the whole of Mr. J. C. 

 Brown's Report in the form of an appendix ; and I here 

 quote only his concluding paragraph, with which I am 

 in complete agreement, and which contains a great 



