AGRICULTURE 



in 1880, 16,192 ; whilst in 1885 it had fallen to 15,794. The year 1890 saw the total up to 

 15,970 and 1900 up to 15,558. 



It was after the disastrous year 1879 that farmers in Dorset commenced to pay greater atten- 

 tion to dairy supplies. That year reduced farmers' capital to such a degree that many of them 

 found it imperative to turn their attention to a branch of agriculture which would yield them an 

 immediate return for their outlay. In addition the growth of the large towns and seaside resorts 

 was instrumental in increasing the production of milk by reason of the growing demand which the 

 workers in the towns created. It must not be supposed that the increase in the number of cattle 

 has been entirely with a view to milk-production, but this object has no doubt been the most 

 important factor in bringing about the present situation. It is impossible to give figures for early 

 years showing the growth of the milk supply from Dorset, which goes to London, Bournemouth, 

 Weymouth, and other seaside places within or near the county, but some idea may be gathered 

 from the fact that during 1906 there were dispatched by the London and South Western Railway 

 to London and elsewhere nearly 5,000,000 gallons of milk. As this would not represent the whole 

 output of dairy produce, butter and cheese having to be considered, the value of dairy-farming to 

 the county is at once apparent. 



At the beginning of the nineteenth century the practice of the farmer keeping dairy cows was 

 to rent them to a dairyman, who was in effect a small holder. This practice still continues in 

 places, but as it was almost exclusively a product of large holdings the gradual levelling down 

 of the farms has done away with the necessity for the dairyman, and the farmer now generally 

 deals with the produce of his cows himself. Dorset butter is, of course, famous, though this 

 branch has suffered, as in other counties, from foreign competition. Cheese, too, has somewhat 

 declined, but high prices are gradually making the farmer turn his attention more to this product. 

 Attention might well be drawn here to the famous ' blue vinny ' cheese of Dorset. It is 

 extremely popular in the county, but it is very difficult to obtain outside the county area. In 

 appearance it is similar to Stilton, but has a more delicate flavour and in the opinion of the 

 Dorset man is infinitely superior. 



The fattening of cattle for stores, too, has made great strides, especially in the vicinity of the 

 two great markets of Dorchester and Wimborne. Sales are held at Dorchester every Saturday and 

 at Wimborne every Tuesday. 



In 1873 the number of cattle totalled 75,232 with a percentage of i6*i to the acre (every 

 100 acres). In 1906 the total was 94,405, while the percentage had risen to nearly 20 per acre. 

 Up to 1880 the figures varied but little, but in the five years ending 1885 there was an increase of 

 15,000. The dry season of 1893 shows its effect in the figures for 1894 which go down to 79,955. 

 By the year 1899 the numbers had risen to 89,128, but another bad season sent the figures down to 

 87,904 in 1900. However, by 1906 the number of cattle kept had jumped to its present high 

 figure of 90,405. 



The old breed of long-horned cattle, which at one time was almost the only breed in the 

 county, is practically extinct, only one herd being known to exist now. Shorthorns were introduced 

 in 1870, and this breed is now the most common. There are several fine herds of Shorthorns to be 

 seen within the county and one or two pedigree herds. Devon cattle are mostly to be seen in the 

 west, but Shorthorns practically monopolize the rest of the county. Herefords are not popular, but 

 at one time the popular dairy cow was a cross between a Devon and a Hereford, the latter for size 

 and the former for constitution. The general all-round utility of the Shorthorn, both as a dairy 

 cow and for fattening, has gradually made it more popular than the crossbreds, and it may be said 

 that the majority of the cattle in the county are Shorthorns. 



Sheep in Dorset enjoy the advantage of roaming over the chalky downs which suit the famous 

 Southdown breed so well, and the manner in which they thrive in the county is evidence that 

 Dorset is peculiarly adapted for sheep-breeding. It is all the more to be regretted therefore that the 

 number of sheep within the county has shown such a great decrease. Much of this is to be 

 attributed to the bad seasons which force farmers to sell regardless of price in order to find capital 

 to continue cultivation of the land. In taking to sheep-breeding a farmer has to consider that he 

 sees no return for his capital for twelve months. Possibly he may get a larger return in the end, but as 

 has often happened in the past a farmer has had to take to some other branch such as milk production 

 from which he gets an immediate return. Another factor has been the cutting up of large farms 

 into smaller holdings and thus destroying what is essential to successful sheep-breeding — a good run. 

 The first reason, however, apart from the effect of bad weather on the sheep, is the more true to fact, 

 as witness the drop from 427,831 sheep in 1873 and 498,Oioin 1879 to 463,864 in 1880, a decline 

 of nearly 35,000 in one year. Farmers in Dorset do not desire a repetition of 1879. Its influence is 

 written largely in other branches besides sheep. Till 1885 the numbers remained much about the 

 same, being in that year 460,371, but in the following year 1886, due to the failure of the turnip 

 and swede crop and a late winter, the numbers dropped to 448,635. In 1890 the figures had 

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