Report on the " Working Dairy " at the Derby Shoiv. 635 
exhibition, of the best animals, that, notwithstanding the eclat 
which such prizes confer, the Dairy Classes at Derby only 
attracted twelve animals in all ; and with nine prizes, varying 
from 20/. to 5/. in value, only four entries were made !* Contrast 
this with a show held in the ancient city of Ghent in Belgium, 
only the Sunday before the Derby Show, where 280 cows were 
exhibited, as Mr. Allender, who was present, informs me ! It cer- 
tainly may be hoped that of the number of persons who so eagerly 
thronged the exhibition, not a few would carry home with them 
some new conceptions of the importance of points hitherto 
quiescently neglected or despised ; and many lessons would be 
learned which may have their effect in the improvement of this 
very important and interesting part of farm and domestic manage- 
ment. It is my duty to describe, as well as I can, the daily 
routine and management of this feature in the Show ; and I trust 
that, even to some persons who witnessed the various processes, 
a recapitulation of the proceedings may not be without interest. 
In the centre of the Show-ground a large conspicuous edi- 
fice, which proclaimed upon its roof its title, testified to visitors 
the whereabouts of the " Working Dairy." The arrangement 
and planning of this fabric was entrusted to a small Committee 
of the Council, t and the Society was most ably seconded in 
its designs by the Managing Director of the Aylesbury Dairy 
Company, Mr. G. M. Allender. 
A few words may advantageously be devoted here to the 
construction of this shed, and the arrangement of its machinery, 
and this description will be elucidated by the Plan which was 
supplied to visitors, and which is reproduced here, p. 636. 
The whole erection, which was included under one roof, was 
divided in the centre by a ten-horse-power engine, which supplied 
the motive-power for the machinery, and by the manager's 
office. The engine was, of course, efficiently separated from 
the two ends by boarded partitions ; and a passage, with a 
doorway at either end, rendered the two parts of the building 
separate and distinct. One of these divisions was devoted to 
cream-separators and an exhibition of cheesemaking from 
skim-milk on the German system ; the other was the " Dairy," 
properly so called. A row of shafting, extending almost the 
* It must in justice be mentioned tliat fear of foot-and-moutli disease, which, 
existed in some parts of the county, no doubt deterred some exhibitors ; but 
there arc other reasons for indifference to show. English judges often go in for 
condition and symmetry associated with beef-maliitig qualities, and entirely 
neglect real milking points. So long as this exists, owners of good dairy cattle 
will stand at a disadvantage, comi^ared with exhibitors of highly bred Shorthorns, 
and other famous breeds. 
t This Committee consisted of Lord Vernon, Mr. Jacob WUson, Jlr. Neville, 
Mr. Allender, and Mr. Jenkins. 
