10 continiioXts cropping 



lead in th*e direction indicated. That is to say, instead 

 of g<>J^;t*?,i'itH?-g\ fiinitielfr with feeding one cow on three 

 acres of land, he should aim at keeping a cow, or its 

 equivalent, on every acre. 



Is this possible ? Certainly — ^assuming an intensive 

 system of cropping is followed and land of average 

 fertility is being dealt with. . 



So much, then, for the general idea. As to the size 

 of holding, one of twenty acres will be a convenient 

 standard to work by. As will be seen later, the neces- 

 sary modification for the cropping and management of 

 a larger or smaller holding than this will be only a 

 matter of elementary arithmetic. 



On this holding the main object will be the produc- 

 tion of milk, for, next to intensive market gardening, 

 milk production, wherever at all possible, is the ideal 

 system for the small farmer. 



Milk for direct consumption is practically the only 

 farm product which, so far, has not had to contend with 

 foreign competition. For the last twenty years, owing 

 to the increasing population of these islands and the 

 higher standard of living which has been adopted, the 

 demand for milk has increased and is still increasing 

 by leaps and bounds. Furthermore, from the small- 

 holder's standpoint, the steady inflow of ready cash 

 resulting from the sale of milk or milk products is of 

 great importance. 



Again, milk production is not subject to the many 

 fluctuations which are experienced in other kinds of 

 farming. Still further, the big dairy farmer has to 

 depend upon hired help for the milking and attendance 

 of his dairy cows, and the best servants procurable 

 in these days will seldom give the same attention to 

 the animals under their charge as will the man, or the 

 wife, son, or daughter of the man, who owns the cattle. 

 In this connection, dairy farming often finds lucrative 



