Added  as  a Monthly  Supplement  to  the  “ TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST ” 
THE  MAGAZINE 
OF 
TF)6  SG500L  OH  AGRICULTURE, 
COLOMBO. 
Yol.  IV.]  APRIL,  1893.  [No.  10. 
DAIRYING  IN  CEYLON. 
T is  now  pretty  generally  known 
that  a Government  dairy  is  about 
to  be  started  in  connection  with 
the  School  of  Agriculture,  and  the 
question  has  been  asked  in  more 
than  one  quarter : — Is  it  right  of  the  Government 
to  monopolise  the  supplying  of  milk  to  all  Govern- 
ment institutions  and  exclude  private  enterprise  in 
his  connection  ? The  fact  is  there  is  no  other 
alternative  for  the  Government  to  choose,  if  its 
institutions  are  to  have  a supply  of  guaranteed 
pure  milk.  There  are  two  objections  against  milk 
supplied  by  the  ordinary  native  cow-keeper:  one  is 
the  very  insanitary  surroundings  and  the  unclean 
habits  that  are  always  associated  with  native 
cattle-sheds;  and  the  other,  the  custom,  which 
indeed  almost  amounts  to  a superstitious  obser- 
vance, of  diluting  the  milk  with  water,  and  the 
temptation  (too  often  given  way  to)  there  exists 
for  otherwise  adulterating  the  milk.  All  that  the 
Sanitary  Officer  and  his  staff  of  inspectors  can  do  in 
the  way  of  warning  and  prosecuting  has  been  of 
no  avail  in  checking  these  evils.  Under  these 
circumstances  it  is  but  natural  that  the  Govern- 
ment should  bethink  itself  of  making  such 
provision  as  would  prevent  its  supplies  of  milk 
coming  forth  from  suspicious  sources.  Again,  the 
native  milkman,  even  if  he  supplies  pure  milk, 
cannot  supply  milk  of  such  good  quality  as  can  be 
produced  by  the  most  approved  system  of  dieting 
cattle,  which  he  refuses  to  adopt  because  it  is 
no  advantage  for  him  to  do  so.  Another  very 
cogent  reason  that  may  be  brought  forward 
for  the  establishment  of  a Government  dairy  is 
that  no  convenient  and  satisfactory  method  of 
proving  the  purity  of  individual  samples  of 
milk  has  as  yet  been  discovered,  and  that  the  way 
still  lies  open  for  milk  suppliers  who  earn  their 
livelihood  by  the  sale  of  milk,  to  carry  on  their 
machinations  (which  are  multifarious  and  clever) 
undetected  by  the  eye  of  Science.  We  have  still 
omitted  to  take  note  of  the  fact  that  the  inmates 
of  the  Government  institutions  concerned,  viz., 
the  sick  and  the  afflicted  in  mind  and  body, 
in  the  hospitals,  asylums,  and  lazaretto,  require 
food  of  guaranteed  purity  and  uniform  good 
quality,  and  that  medical  treatment  of  these 
patients  assumes  that  such  is  the  character  of 
the  food.  It  would  be  an  idle  excuse  on  the 
part  of  Government  to  allow  our  poor  sick  to 
be  supplied  with  other  than  the  best  and  most 
reliable  food,  and  to  say  “ it  cannot  be  helped.” 
Indeed,  it  can  be  helped!  The  Government 
in  starting  a dairy  farm  under  control  of  its 
own  officers  is  shutting  the  door  to  chiccanery, 
putting  an  end  to  adulteration  and  dilution  of 
milk,  and  securing  for  its  institutions  a supply 
of  guaranteed  pure  milk  of  good  quality.  The 
establishment  of  such  a dairy  is  no  innovation 
as  a policy  of  Government,  for  throughout  India 
and  in  other  parts  these  Government  dairy  farms 
are  looked  upon  as  the  only  remedy  against 
the  supplying  of  bad  milk  to  hospitals,  asylums 
and  military  barracks.  Those  who  cavil  at  the 
initial  outlay  in  starting  a Government  dairy  may 
rest  satisfied  that  the  establishment  is  moreover 
expected  to  yield  a fair  return.  This  should 
be  the  case  with  good  management,  which 
is  of  the  utmost  importance.  The  great  thing 
to  be  dreaded  in  bringing  together  a large 
herd  of  cattle  into  one  centre  is  devastation  by 
“ murrain  ” or  other  epizootic  disease,  but  with 
veterinary  advice  at  hand  as  regards  means 
of  prevention  and  cure,  there  should  be  no  very 
great  fear  on  that  score. 
4 
OCCASIONAL  NOTES. 
Mr.  P.  S.  Rodrigo,  for  over  three  years  an 
Assistant  Master  at  the  School  of  Agriculture, 
severed  his  connection  with  the  institution  last 
month,  to  take  up  the  duties  of  Headmaster  of 
the  Kadugannawa  Boys’  School.  The  School  has 
lost  in  Mr.  Rodrigo  a teacher  of  the  highest 
character,  and  one  who  commanded  universal 
respect.  He  will  be  much  missed  by  both 
masters  and  students. 
