89 



Dairying in Austraiia. 



THE HON. F. R. :\ 



IN reply to a request foi' some infor- 

 mation about dairy mg in Australia, 

 Mr. Moor said :— 



" While in Australia I gave as much 

 attention as my time permitted to the 

 subject of dairying and all connected with 

 it. I made numbers of notes as the results 

 of my observations and enquiries, but on 

 looking through this pamphlet of Messrs. 

 Wilson and Crowe, the Dairy Experts of 

 the Agricultural Department of Victoria, 

 and kindly given me by the Chief of that 

 Department, I find that it presents all 

 I can say more fully and effectively. It 

 is the outcome of the experience of two 

 thoroughly competent men. The vitality 

 and the progress of the Victoria dairy 

 trade are eloquently shown in the otficiiil 

 figures. In 1889-1890 the butter exported 

 amounted to 399 tons, valued at £5i,;)()0 ; 

 in 1899-1900 the butter exported amounted 

 to 17,607 tons, valued at £ 1, 604,600. The 

 cattle of Victoria are finely bred, the 

 Shorthorn strain predominating. The 

 Jersey and Ayrshire breeds are also 

 popular. Making allowance for the differ- 

 ence of local conditions, which presum- 

 ably the readers of the AgricultumlJour- 

 nal are capable of doing, the most of the 

 pamphlet, if republished in the Journal, 

 will be found to afford much matter of 

 interest and instruction." 



Practically the whole of the pamphlet 

 will be published in instalments. 

 The following is the first instalment : — 

 Rules for butter-making could easily 

 be drawn up if the conditions under 

 which each butter-maker laboured were 

 alike. If the milk were in the same 

 order, the climatic conditions identical, 

 and like appliances used, it could readily 

 be disposed of. The conditions iii 

 different localities and places vary. The 

 circumstances are constantly changing in 

 each place. It would be of little advan- 

 tage, therefore, to frame rules without 

 pointing out a method of applying them. 

 More good will be derived from a general 

 discussion of the subject. The subject 

 will be shown from ditl'erent stand-points, 

 and it is hoped that in such form it will 

 prove of the best service. 



i'S IMPRESSIONS. 



The quality of butter largely depends 

 on the treatment of the milk before it 

 reaches the factory or creamery, and the 

 condition of the milk when it reaches the 

 butter-maker's hands. 



The Care of Milk. 



Milk should be drawn from the cows in 

 as cleanly a manner as possible. The 

 surroundings should also receive due 

 attention. 



It is a pleasure to notice the recent rapid 

 increase of modern \v ell-drained and 

 paved milking-yards ; together with well- 

 arrrnged and ventilated milking-sheds. 



Examples can be met with in every 

 district that serve as models for the neigh- 

 bours to copy. When yards are con- 

 venient in their arrangement and paved it 

 is easy and pleasant to work in and keep 

 them clean. 



Milk is a great absorbent of bad odours, 

 and a good medium for the development 

 of bacteria. If the surroundings be evil- 

 smelling the milk will soon become 

 tainted. The value of butter, therefore, 

 becomes lessened as the contamination is 

 permitted to increase in the milk. 



If a cow's udder is dirty it should be 

 carefully washed, and if clean it should at 

 least be wiped. Such simple precautions 

 prevent tilth and dust from falling into 

 the bucket when milking. Milking with 

 dry hands is preferable, and is fast coming 

 into favour. It is a much cleaner and 

 better plan than the old way. 



Milk should be kept in a clean place 

 shaded from the rays of the sun, and away 

 from dust and smells. 



The milk vessels and everything that 

 the milk comes in contact with should be 

 absolutely clean. The temperature of the 

 milk should be reduced as rapidly as 

 possible after it comes from the cow. 



When the milk is strong in odour and 

 flavour from such tood as fresh green 

 rape, lucerne, trefoil, turnips, &c., aeration 

 greatly improves it. 



The aeration of milk has long been 

 advocated ; but because it was imperfectly 

 understood, or entailed a certain amount 

 of trouble, but few dairymen practise it. 



