Notes on Agriculture Abroad. [sept., 



of milking, nor was there difficulty in the application of the machine. 

 The cows stood quiet when being milked by machine, whereas it was 

 observed that the animals behaved somewhat differently when milked 

 by hand. A machine fitted with two double sets of apparatus performs 

 about the same work as three hand milkers, being able to milk 50 to 60 

 cows in 2 to 25 hours. 



There are perhaps not yet sufficient data to prove whether In the 

 long run machine milking will give better or less satisfactory results 

 than hand milking or even such good results as are obtained by the 

 latter method, but undoubtedly it will be easier to form an opinion 

 when the cows are more accustomed to being milked by machinery. 

 It is, however, probable that by the help of milking machines, properly 

 used, a more thorough and complete milking will be effected, and that 

 the loss now occasioned by careless milking will be avoided. The 

 difficulty of milking cows when out at pasture has been got over by 

 the introduction of a cart fitted with a benzine motor, air pump, 

 vacuum and piping, easily drawn by a single horse, and on which 

 there is also place for a number of full milk cans. 



Examinations of the quality of the milk drawn by the machine 

 point to the fact that the milk is not only purer than the milk from 

 the same cow produced by hand milking, but that it may safely be 

 said that a perfectly pure milk is obtained. 



A new milking machine is at present being experimented upon 

 under the control of the State Experimental Laboratory authorities. 

 .The advantage claimed for this machine is that it more closely resembles 

 milking by hand, as it works by pressure only, not as is the case 

 usually, by pressure and suction. It is further claimed for this machine 

 that it draws all the milk and produces the same amount as milking 

 by hand. — [F.O. Reports, Annual Series, No. 4532.] 



Institute for the Investigation of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Ger- 

 many. — The report on the trade and commerce of Pomerania for the 

 3-ear 1909 (Foreign Office Report, Annual Series, No. 4517) states that 

 an institute is to be established on the small Baltic island of Riems, 

 near Greifswald, for the purpose of carrying on bacteriological research 

 with a view to stamping out foot-and-mouth disease. The Board of 

 Agriculture has granted the necessary funds, and the institute will be 

 placed under the control of the University of Greifswald. 



This small island has been chosen on account of its isolation, as 

 several outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the neighbourhood of 

 Greifswald were attributed to the transmission of germs when the 

 researches were carried out at this latter place. 



Production of Nitrate of Soda. — The Chilian Nitrate Combination, 

 which formerly regulated the production of nitrate of soda, was dis- 

 solved in 1909. Mr. Consul Hudson, in his report on the trade of the 

 district of Iquique, Chile (F.O. Reports, Annual Series, No. 4510), 

 states that in the first year of free production (April 1st, 1909, to March 

 31st, 1910) there has been an increase in the total output of 7,732,325 

 quintals of no lb., as compared with the output during the last year 

 of the Combination (April 1st, 1908, to March 31st, 1909), whilst the 

 world's consumption in the year 1909 (January 1st to December 31st) 

 shows an increase of 4,559,769 quintals over that of the previous year. 

 The average price of nitrate for 95 per cent, f.o.b. was 8s. >j\d. per 



