96 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July i6, 1894. 
Iq this mixtare all the finer Grasses are wisely avoided, the 
five coarse strong-growing Grasses with the Clovers being 
admirably calculated to yield a heavy bulk of nutritious herbage 
under the judicious and regular application of manure. 
The object of the Scotch farmers was the production and 
sale of milk. In this they have been so successful that their 
example has been followed, with the usual result of over- 
production and falling prices to the producer, while the consumer 
has still to pay full price. For the extension of dairy farming 
on a large scale to be successful now, the milk must be turned 
to account for making butter and cheese —not in farmhouses, 
but in co-operative factories, established and carried on entirely 
by the farmers themselves, just as is being done so successfully 
in Ireland. The conditions and method of procedure there are 
entirely applicable to practice in Esse.v. The site of the 
factory must be where within a radius of two or three 
miles all the milk from 500 to 800 cows can be had — 
preferably the higher number. Less than 500 cows will not 
answer, will not pay expenses; more than 1000 cows renders the 
concern unwieldly and difiicult to manage; so that we may 
regard 800 as the more safe and convenient number, which 
might be exceeded as experience brings confidence and facility 
of management. Buildings and plant cost together about £700, 
which is raised by each farmer becoming a shareholder, by 
taking a £1 share for every cow he intends supplying factory 
milk from, calls of 2s. per share being made at the outset, and 
from time to time as required. The milk is entered both in the 
shareholders’ and factory books when delivered. It is tested 
daily by the lactometer, and its degree of richness entered in the 
ledger against each shareholder’s name. At short intervals 
three gallons of each man’s milk is churned separately and the 
number of ounces of butter booked. Payment is made in 
accordance with these entries—payment by results, which acts 
as the best possible incentive to the farmers to strive for the 
improvement of both quantity and quality in the milk—to breed 
well, feed well, shelter well; to do their utmost for the pro¬ 
motion of health in the cows, as bringing wealth to themselves 
Payment for milk received, working expenses, and to a reserve 
fund for depreciation of plant, is followed by one of 5 per cent, 
interest on share capital, and the surplus is divided among the 
shareholders according to the recorded quantity and quality of 
the milk supplied by each of them. It is claimed that the value 
of the produce of the shareholders’ cows is increased by 
30 per cent., that they are paid the best price for their milk, 
and that their butter commands as high a price as the Danish 
butter in the London market. 
That the trade in high-class butter is capable of indefinite 
extension is certain; the gigantic proportions attained by the 
Australian butter during the last five years in this country 
proves it. But we never shall do anything approaching it with 
farmhouse butter, which comes in driblets upon the market, 
mainly inferior, always uncertain in quality. To the butter 
merchant uniform quality is of the first importance; assure him 
of this, and if the supply is large and steady he will notice the 
butter. Add to this decided superiority of quality, and not only 
will be become an eager purchaser, but the supply will never 
equal his demands. 
It appears to us that the chief obstacle—the initial difficulty 
in the way of such an undertaking, is a want of trust and 
mutual good faith—we hardly like to hint of a lack of enter¬ 
prise among farmers. In Ireland a few men joined forces and 
set the first co-operative creamery going to such good purpose 
that others soon followed. All honour to the pioneers, say 
we. If only a similar start could be made in Essex, depend 
upon it the plague spots of farmed-out land now clustering so 
thickly upon her surface would vanish before the advance of 
intelligent enterprise and energetic co-operation. More than 
this, many a struggling dairy farmer now selling his milk at 
about half value to the greedy, unscrupulous middleman, would 
gladly seize the happy chance to obtain a fair price for his pro¬ 
duce, and much less would be heard of an overdone milk trade. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Much of the long and strong straw growth of an exceptionally heavy 
corn crop has been beaten down by recent heavy thunder showers, which 
means additional expense in reaping at harvest time, and some injury 
to Wheat in bloom. Rain has also done much harm to hay in process 
of making. It is true that some hay was saved in prime condition, but 
there is still much hay in cock and swathe, still much grass unmown 
as we write this note on July 17th. Again have we had proof of how 
much bulk of crop and time of mowing depends upon condition of soil. 
We have seen haymaking as forward in Cumberland as in Kent, while 
there were plenty of meadows unmown in the south midlands. Now is 
the time to look into this matter in view of pasture improvement for 
another season. 
The possible autumnal drought with its resultant scarcity of herbage 
on pastures has been—is being kept steadily in view, as well as the 
provision of cattle and sheep food in winter and spring. Cabbage and 
Ka'e are both full crops, and are growing fast now, as also are 
Mangolds and Turnips. Land under sheep folds is now being turned 
to account for late Turnips for a late spring supply, and for Rye for an 
early autumn crop of green food available for flock and herd as may be 
required. Do not forget that we have now very little more than two- 
months left us for really free growth, and it is only such a nimble crop 
as Rye that can be sown now to be of any use in autumn. We give 
this timely warning because often in a hot dry August attention is 
turned to catch crops when it is too late to obtain them. Sow any such 
crop on land rich in fertility. Where sheep have been folded on Tares, 
Trifolium, Sainfoin, or seeds, there is certain to be enough fertility near 
the surface for a start, and when the plant is well started it can always 
be kept going by timely use of nitrate of soda. 
With an abundant aftermath the milk yield is well sustained and 
butter is at its best. Now is the time to fill enough glazed jars or pans 
with butter for winter use. The most important points are careful 
churning so as to quite separate the butter grains from the caseine, to 
ensure its keeping well, next to silt for flavour with brine made by 
dissolving 2 lbs. of salt to a gallon of water, poured into the churn after 
the last washing of the butter, and left among the butter for fifteen 
minutes, and last to fill each jar at once and not gradually. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Calves for Grazing {Somerset ').—The price of c lives is so much 
affected by locality and other circumstances that we can hardly be 
sufficiently definite in our answer for your purpose. Weanyer calves 
may be purchased at prices ranging from 30i. upwards, and if grazed 
roughly on pasture, as you appear to suggest, they might be worth £4 
or £5 by next April. You mention six or seven months, which means 
next January or February. To sell in either of those months would he 
premature, and would probably involve having to accept very little 
more than you gave for them. If, on the other hand, you can afford 
them perfect shelter from cold and wet, and can give them crushed 
corn or other dry nourishing food in addition to the pasture, they would 
then keep in such plump condition that you could sell them at any 
time. To purchase calves and turn them out to pasture, without other 
food or provision of shelter, would be most unlikely to answer. As 
autumn comes on they would have hoose, fall off in condition, and 
some might die. On the whole we think you would do much better to 
purchase about a score of strong, healthy lambs, for which you may 
have to give full 30s. apiece. Avoid small, weak, cheap lambs, you 
could do no good with them. 
METEOROLO&ICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat.Slo 32' 43" N.; Lou^. O'’ 8' 0" W.: Altitude. Ill feet 
Date. 
9 A..M. 
In the Day. 
*2 
P4 
1894. 
July. 
1 Barometer 
1 at 32'’, and 
1 Sea Level. 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of soil 
at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
Inchs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg 
deg. 
deg. 
Inchs. 
Sunday .. 
15 
23-858 
68-8 
56-8 
W. 
59-9 
65-1 
52-2 
82-9 
48-0 
0-022 
Monday .. 
16 
29-97.' 
58 1 
56-0 
S. 
59-6 
63-4 
51-9 
90-1 
47-1 
0-098 
Tuesday .. 
17 
29-812 
62 7 
56-9 
w. 
59-1 
68-7 
56-2 
114-4 
53-1 
— 
W ednesday 
18 
29-681 
59-0 
53-9 
w. 
59-3 
67-3 
54-8 
121-2 
51-9 
— 
Thursday .. 
19 
29-765 
61-4 
56-3 
w. 
59 9 
69-9 
5.3-6 
118-0 
49-1 
0-062- 
Friday 
20 
29-956 
63-2 
57-2 
w. 
59-9 
70-7 
51-8 
123 7 
48-0 
0-090 
S.iturday .. 
21 
29-823 
61-1 
59-7 
s. 
60 2 
73-2 
55 3 
117-4 
55 1 
— 
29-838 
60-6 
56-7 
59 7 
68-3 
53 7 
109-7 
50-3 
C-272 
REMARKS. 
15th.—Overcast almost throughout, with frequent slight showers. 
16th.—Overcast with frequent drizzle, and ram at 3 r.M. and between 8 and 9 r.M. 
17th.—Fine and frequently sunny, but sjotsof rain in the afternoon. 
18th.—Bright early; generally overcast from 9 a.m. to noon, frequent sunshine later, 
but spots of rain at 4.30 P.M. 
19th.—Generally cloudy, with one or two sharp showers in morning; generally sunny 
after noon. 
20th.—Fine and generally sunny, but a good deal of cloud. 
2lst.—Rain from 2 A.M. to 8 A.M., and almost continuous drizzle or rain till 11 A.M.; 
fine after with frequent sunshine. 
The temperature very similar to the previous week, rain not nearly so Levvy, but on 
whole a damp and cloudy week.—6. J. Symons. 
