6 PEEMANENT AND TEMPOEAEY PASTUEES. 



extension of this system, not merely as a great means of lessening 

 the labour bill, but also because it will ensure the storage in the soil 

 of a large reserve of grain-producing energy ready for any national 

 emergency, or in the event of such an alteration of public opinion 

 concerning Free Trade as will enable the farmer again to produce 

 the food of the country at a profit to himself. At present the only 

 hope of obtaining such profit from much of our strong land is 

 to grow grass permanently or in rotation, and turn it into meat 

 or milk.^ For milk alone there is an immense future when the 

 populations of large towns better understand its value as an article 

 of diet, and when the requisite arrangements are made to ensure 

 its cheap and speedy delivery in freshness and purity direct to the 

 masses of the people. 



Much was anticipated from milk factories, and some of them 

 are commercially successful, but it does not appear to me that for 

 the majority of farmers the difficulty of distribution will be 

 surmounted in this way. Milk is easily and quickly spoiled, and 

 only a small proportion of its bulk is required as a manufactured 

 commodity. On these grounds it is imperative that milk should 

 be dealt with at the earliest possible moment after it has been ob- 

 tained from the cow, and therefore in immediate contiguity to the 

 milking shed. Hence the immense value of hand and power milk 

 separators, of which I was one of the first in this country to avail 

 myself. Notwithstanding the prejudice against their introduction 

 displayed by farmer and farm-servant alike, I have not heard of 

 a single instance where the separator has been abandoned after a 

 fair trial. There is no waiting for the cream to rise, and con- 

 sequently not the least suggestion of sourness. The tedious 

 process of skimming is avoided, and instead of rows of pans to be 

 constantly scalded, a few crocks only are required for the cream. 

 The separated milk never reaches the dairy at all, but goes 

 straight to the labourers' cottages, or to the calves and mash-tubs 

 for pigs, in a perfectly sweet, wholesome, and digestible condition. 



• An authority has called attention to the fact that, even at the current low price a 

 ton of ruilk is worth more than a ton of wheat, and costs less to produce. 



