June 1896.] 



FOREIGN OFFICE REPORTS. 



65 



and clover is grown for summer fodder, and Jerusalem artichokes, 

 giant cabbage, and beet, for winter feeding. 



A number of small industries are also carried on, which,, 

 though separately they do not come to much, often bring in a 

 good sum of money in the aggregate, especially on small farms. 

 Amongst these may be mentioned, breeding and fattening pigs, 

 combined with the preparation of bacon, sausages, &c, which sell 

 well in the towns. The growing of fruit and vegetables, poultry 

 rearing, which, with eggs, finds a ready sale for home use or 

 export, are also largely practised. The rearing of poultry is 

 usually managed by the women of the house, so that the cost 

 is small, and most of the price obtained is profit. 



Dairying is followed on even the smallest farms, and is said to 

 be profitable with good management. There is nothing produced 

 on a farm which can be so increased in value as dairy produce 

 by careful and scientific handling. Butter, for instance, made 

 in a careless and slovenly manner in country farmhouses in the 

 district of La Rochelle, used to sell as low as Scl. per lb., while 

 the same quantity of milk made into good butter now brings 

 three times that price. This change is stated to have been 

 caused by the establishment of large dairies, which buy up all 

 the milk of the district from the farmers daily, at prices which 

 give them a much better profit than when they made it into 

 bad butter themselves. These dairies are not co-operative, but 

 are private speculations, which are said to pay very well, while 

 benefiting cattle-breeders at the same time ; and they vary in 

 size, according to the amount of capital which the promoter can 

 dispose of, and the circumstances of the district, dealing with 

 quantities of milk ranging from 2,000 to 15,000 quarts per 

 cliem. They have the advantage of not being very costly to set 

 up and manage, compared with other undertakings connected 

 with agriculture. 



If there are buildings capable of being used for the purpose, 

 the cost of establishing a dairy in the La Eochelle district 

 capable of dealing with 15,000 quarts of milk daily, and pro- 

 vided with the best plant and machinery, is estimated at about 

 900£., of which 450£. would be for the steam-engine and trans- 

 mitting gear. If buildings had to be specially erected, another 

 400£. would have to be added. Such a dairy would require 50 

 vehicles and a proportionate number of horses to collect the milk 

 from the farms, and if these had to be purchased the capital 

 required would be three or four times as large, and the working 

 expenses also much greater ; but this is avoided by contracting 

 with persons who supply the means of carriage, collect the milk 

 and pay for it, and repay themselves by adding a small sum to 

 the price, which is paid when delivering it at the dairy. 



The milk itself is paid for at the rate of Ad. per gallon in 

 summer and 4£eZ. in winter, which added to the per-centage of 

 the collector brings it to about 4 JcZ. per gallon. It is calculated 

 that from 13 to 13 J pints of milk make 1 lb. of butter, which in 



O 91921. E 



