60 
Dairy  Cattle  and  the  Butter  Test. 
(3)  That  in  order  to  prevent  this  loss,  special  precautions 
should  be  taken  in  churning. 
(4)  That  the  mixing  of  milks  of  different  breeds,  if  the 
dairy  work  is  done  properly,  has  no  effect  on  the  weight  of, 
butter  produced. 
The  one  exception  brought  out  by  this  new  investigation 
being  that  the  variations  in  the  sizes  of  the  globules  of  the 
different  breeds  of  cattle  are  not  so  marked  as  was  formerly 
supposed  to  be  the  case. 
It  may  be  thought  that  too  much  has  been  claimed  to  have 
resulted  from  the  butter-test  and  milk-yield  trials. 
With  the  exception  of  Dr.  Sturtevant’s  article,  I think  it 
will  be  found  that  little,  if  anything,  has  been  written  on  the 
special  points  that  I have  mentioned  as  having  been  brought 
into  prominence  by  the  butter-test  trials. 
That  these  trials  in  their  infancy  were  thought  much  of  by 
some,  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  the  great  trials  at  Chicago 
followed  the  institution  of  those  here,  while  the  later  elaborate 
trials  carried  out  at  St.  Louis  confirm  one’s  opinions  of  the 
value  set  upon  such  competitions  by  the  Amei’ican  breeders. 
The  excellent  work  done  by  the  late  Professor  Speir 
amongst  the  Ayrshires  is  further  proof,  if  any  were  wanting, 
of  their  utility. 
The  question  of  improving  the  milk-yielding  capabilities 
of  our  dairy  breeds  is  receiving  much  more  attention  than 
formerly,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  reports  of  the  experiments 
carried  out  by  various  Agricultural  Colleges,  notices  of  which 
are  published  by  the  Board  of  Agriculture. 
The  value  of  milk  and  butter-test  records  lies  in  this,  that, 
if  followed  up  in  a practical  manner,  the  manufacture  of  milk 
and  of  butter  is  carried  out  on  the  most  economical  lines. 
Had  this  question  of  milk  and  butter-test  records  been  made 
as  much  of  in  Ireland  as  co-operation  in  dairy  work,  I feel 
satisfied  that  the  extra  profits  the  farmers  there  now  get  for 
their  milk  through  co-operation  would  have  been  still  greater. 
In  closing  a report  of  any  dairy  trials,  it  has  been  my  habit 
to  thank  those  stewards  and  assistants  who  have  helped  me. 
Two  names  have,  however,  been  invariably  omitted  from  the 
list,  as  I have  always  considered  them  as  part  and  parcel  of 
myself  for  the  time  being.  I refer  to  Messrs.  Hammond  and 
Craufurd,  the  secretaries  of  the  English  Jersey  Cattle  Society, 
one,  or  both  of  whom,  for  the  past  twenty  years,  have  worked 
with  me  in  every  test,  and  have  always  given  me  that  kindly 
help  and  patience,  without  which  trials  such  as  these  would 
have  been  much  more  difficult  to  carry  out. 
Ernest  Mathews. 
Little  Shardeloes,  Amersbam. 
