Cow-Keeping hy Farm Labourers. 
523 
The tenants on Lord Tollemache's estate spoke strongly in 
favour of their labourers keeping cows, for reasons which have 
been several times repeated in this article. The organisation 
of the system is perfect. The butter is collected and marketed 
by small dealers, residing generally on the estate, and being 
themselves cow-keepers. Lord Tollemache has himself taken 
great interest in the development of this system, and the result is 
seen in a most successful example of cow-keeping by labourers. 
In reply to one of my queries relating to cow-clubs. Lord 
Tollemache says that the labourers themselves manage them, 
and they answer well ; " in proof of which I never by any 
chance receive a petition from a labourer who has lost a cow. 
An objection frequently raised to the system is, that those who 
lose cows go begging about the country for subscriptions ; that 
is not known on this estate, nor would it be elsewhere if cow- 
clubs were established and well managed." 
Mr. Stephen Cawley, Priestland, Tarporley, Lord Tolle- 
mache's agent, gives the following information : — 
" The labourer has, comparatively speaking, a plentiful board for his 
family, and at a cheap rate. He has his cow, pig, and land to occupy his 
spare hours, which might otherwise be spent in the beer-house. His 
family have an opportunity, from their infancy, of taking part in the 
management of stock ; and this is most necessary, if they are to grow up into 
thorough stockmen. 
"The chief bene6t derived by tlie farmers is, that when they have the 
nomination of the tenants of cow-keeping cottages, they can obtain the best 
and most intelligent men, who, but for the advantage of a cow, would drift 
into the large towns. The cow-house aud jiigsty cost about 30/. The butter 
is quite as good as that from the larger dairies." 
There are, I believe, half-a-dozen or more cow-clubs on 
Lord Tollemache's estate, the distances being too great for the 
members to assemble conveniently at any single point. Cot- 
tagers and small farmers mutually insure, but large farmers 
do not join these clubs, which an outbreak of disease in any 
large herd would bring to ruin. The place of meeting should 
not be a public-house. The Bulkeley Chapel Cow Club meets 
at the Primitive Methodist Chapel, Bulkeley. There are 
about 200 members, and 400 cows. The " New Rules for the 
Governance and Guidance of the Bulkeley Chapel Cow Club," 
were printed in 1873 by T. and J. M. Johnson, Nantwich. They 
contain thirty-four " Articles," which have since been revised 
by the Managing Committee. The " Rules of the Bulkeley 
Cow Club," published in the present year, are as succinct as 
they are sound, and are therefore given here in extenso. 
" 1. This Society shall be called the ' Bulkeley School Cow Club,' and is 
established for tlic puqiose of making the most effectual provision for 
