666 



^International Dairy Congress. 



[NOV., 



the cost has risen in consequence. It is said that a limit is 

 placed on the extension of mushroom cultivation round Paris 

 owing to the lack of manure of suitable quality. At the present 

 time there is also great difficulty in getting well-selected 

 spawn : the so-called selected spawn usually sold produces 

 varieties of which the yield is poor both as regards quality 

 and weight. The price of this spawn makes it less profitable 

 than that produced by the cultivators. 



The labour required is considerable, and the workers need 

 to be experienced. Wages in the neighbourhood of Paris 

 are at the rate of 5s. per day of ten hours. A foreman, eight 

 labourers, a picker, and a carter are required for 8,000 beds 

 of 6 feet each. The foreman is paid about ,£10 per month, 

 with an additional Jd. or id. for every basket of 22 lb. of 

 mushrooms produced. During recent years wages have 

 increased. 



The fifth International Dairy Congress was held at 

 Stockholm from June 28th to July 1st. The members of the 

 Congress comprised delegates from 

 International most of the countries of Europe, and 

 Dairy the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries 



Congress. were represented by Mr. E. G. Hay- 



garth Brown. 



The following is a summary of the conclusions arrived at 

 by the Congress : — 



Effect of Foods on Milk. — The first question considered 

 with regard to milk production was the effect of different 

 foods on the quantity and quality of milk. The Congress 

 came to the conclusion that it has been established that certain 

 foods have an influence upon the fat content of the milk of 

 the majority of good milch cows, but they considered that 

 several points in connection therewith required further , 

 investigation. 



Milk Control Associations. — In view of the results which 

 have been obtained by milk control societies in Sweden, 

 Denmark, Norway, Holland, Germany, Finland, and Austria, 

 the Congress expressed the view that such societies were 1 

 instrumental in improving breeds of dairy cattle and in con- 

 tributing to a reduction in the cost of milk production. They 



