332 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Octoler 4,189^, 
to the fact of the average milk yield per cow for the United 
Kingdom is only 400 gallons. It is true enough that in herds 
kept specially for milk the average is considerably higher, being 
in many a herd half as much more, and this, too, even among 
Jerseys ; but this only shows what is possible in the way of 
general improvement, and that deep milking is not incompatible 
with rich milk. The combination is altogether dependent upon 
selection in both sexes ; given this, and there is no good reason 
why the general average milk yield of dairy cows over four 
years old should not be raised to 600 gallons. Of course, feeding 
and general care as well as breeding exercise an influence upon 
the nailkjield which must not be ignored. Sound wholesome 
food the year round, thorough protection from cold and wet, 
from warbles and gad flies, and generally judicious kindly 
management, all exercise an influence for good, tending to 
promote that healthy condition without which a full milk yield 
is an impossibility. Home-bred stock, home raised food are 
both important factors which tell well generally. There may 
be—there are exceptions, but the principle for general observance 
is to avoid expenditure on that or its equivalent which can 
be produced to advantage on the farm We want a higher 
average milk yield; we want more food from the land—richer 
pasture, greater bulk of hay, more abundant herbage for 
grazing—a system of pasture cultivation which will enable 
haymaking generally to be done in time to insure a plentiful 
aftermath. 
Coincident with such improvements there should be, there 
must be, persistent, well directed efforts to turn the milk to full 
account for the benefit of the producer. We hear often enough 
of the reduction in the price of milk being forced upon the 
farmers by those to whom they consign it, but there is no 
fluctuation in tie charges for it by the consignee to the con¬ 
sumer; 4d. per quart is the retail price, and the margin of profit 
for the retailer must be a handsome one. Over-competition 
rather than over-production must be the reason of this, if it be 
true that of the 15 lbs. of butter which is consumed on an 
average by every inhabitant of the British Islands annually 
nearly 9 lbs. are foreign, and that of 12 lbs. of cheese more than 
half is imported. The remedy may be found in co operative 
dairy factories and in the diversion to them of some of the milk 
now sent to the town. Can it possibly be true that so much 
milk is sent away because that is the easiest thing to do with 
it? We fear it is so judging from all we see and hear. Con¬ 
firmatory of this view was the recent report of bankruptcies 
wherein we were told of the total liabilities of farmers who had 
failed having doubled during the past two years, the Official 
Receiver at Swindon saying “ that the slackness and nerveless¬ 
ness of a large number of farmers is one of the elements of 
failure. The fdrmer of to-day is not the prompt, active, ener¬ 
getic, early-rising man his ancestors were, out and superintend¬ 
ing and overseering, and often, as occasion requires, assisting in 
the work of the farm. And still in downward tendency, the sons 
are frequently more inert than their fathers. They do little to 
improve their condition physically, mentally, or morally, and 
thus we see growing up around us a lot of useless uneducated 
young fellows who have no real knowledge of farming or of its 
scientific requirements and who are getting into habits of drift¬ 
ing down the stream and losing their self-respect. They will not 
attend technical classes, and almost their only attempt at litera¬ 
ture is the penny weekly newspaper. The sending away of the 
produce of the farm in the shape of milk induces laziness in the 
men. No cheese to make takes away the women’s occupation, 
whilst the land itself is getting every year more impoverished 
by the drain on it through the removal of milk.” 
These are very grave charges, which, if true only in 
part, are serious enough. Mere denial or angry retort will 
do no good. There is far too much bickering in purely 
Agricultural papers just now, and it would be more to the 
purpose to discuss measures for change and improvement to 
meet the times That is our aim and object in this article, 
which is an outcome of our conviction that there is wide scope 
for improvement in the production, manipulation, and disposal 
of milk. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Worthy of the home farmer’s best efforts is the maintenance of a full 
supply of first-class butter and new laid eggs from Michaelmas till Lady 
Di.y. For the cows there must be the exercise of caution as tree leaves 
fall, to prevent them from eating Walnut or other leaves at all likely to 
impart unpleasant flavour to the milk. See that they have access to a 
full supply of pure water, and do not forget that there is a rapid 
deterioration of quality in pasture herbage as autumn advances. To 
correct any bad effect which this may have on quantity or quality of 
milk, some crushed Oats may be given the cows during the milking, 
and as they are withdrawn from pastures at night some of the best 
meadow hay in the yard racks, or on wet evenings in a rack along the 
inner side of the open hovels, so that they may have shelter and food at 
the same time. As a general rule we do not allow cows to be out at 
night on pasture after Michaelmas. The nights then grow cold and 
wet, already there are frosts in the valleys, and the cows will be the 
better for the comfort of yards and hovels. Remember, it is not a 
question of their endurance, but of the maintenance of healthy condition, 
and a plentiful milk yield of rich quality. Remember also that all 
in-calf cows require close attention to shelter and food, with quiet gentle 
treatment. Many a'case of abortion has been caused by negligence in 
these matters. There is still plenty of herbage on pasture generally, 
but we have seen some stocked so heavily as to be quite useless for cows. 
Where this has been done some green food such as Clover, Lucerne, Rye 
Grass, or green Maize is still available, and the cows should have some 
twice daily. Clear up the Maize now as soon as it can be managed, as 
the first sharp frost will spoil the upper part of the plant. Hold Carrots,. 
Cabbages, and Kale in reserve till other green food is exhausted. 
November, December, and January are the most difficult months for 
cow management; plenty of crisp Cabbages, Carrots, and Mangold then 
are simply invaluable. 
Fowls are now moulting, old hens are falling off in laying eggs, but 
this is well met by a capital supply of eggs from the earliest pullets,, 
some of which began laying in August. This was too soon, as we- 
usually find such forward birds moult and cease laying for a while j 
but with plenty of hens from successional brood the egg supply will be 
kept up. The point of importance is to have enough to give a surplus 
of eggs, which can always be sold to advantage. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Breaking up Pasture (./. S. Ashington ).—It is not a wise thing 
to take away the turf and burn it off the land. Both that and the whina 
(Gorse or Furze) should be burnt on the land in small heaps, so that 
the ashes may be scattered over the surface, and so afford a dressing of 
potash, which is invaluable in the subsequent cropping. Of course you 
can still so use the ashes, but at an unnecessary cost for labour, which, 
might have been avoided. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
OAMDEN Square, Loxdon. 
Lat.51° 32'43" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
In the Day. 
Bain. 
1894. 
September. 
£ 3 
o a > 
zl ^ 
a 0 J 
o 
u-t fO c3 
m am 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of soil 
at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
luchs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
dea. 
deg. 
Inchs 
Sunday 23 
29-780 
57-8 
56-4 
S.E. 
55-9 
64-0 
53 3 
88-6 
52-5 
0034 
Monday .. 21 
29-803 
60-0 
58-2 
E. 
56 2 
GT7 
54-4 
84-7 
50-9 
0-181 
Tuesday .. 25 
29-683 
57-9 
57-4 
N.E. 
56-7 
59-7 
54-9 
61 7 
54-8 
0-08'4 
Wednesday 26 
29-765 
53 5 
52 G 
N. 
56-7 
56-4 
53 0 
72-6 
53-8 
Thursday.. 27 
30-167 
50 7 
47-3 
N. 
55-2 
61-3 
41 6 
98-3 
36-3 
— 
Friday .. 28 
30 333 
50 6 
45-3 
N. 
53-8 
58 4 
36-7 
102 0 
31 6 
— 
Saturday .. 23 
30 323 
49 6 
45 4 
N. 
52 3 
60-3 
39-3 
103 2 
34-0 
— 
•29 979 
54-3 
51-8 
55 3 
60 7 
47-6 
87 3 
44 8 
0 295. 
REMARKS. 
23rd.—Riiii from 2.30 A.ir. to 8.33 A.M., and dull and damp morning; a little sun bine- 
in afternoon; showers in evening. 
24th.—Generally overcast, with a shower about 1 P.5I. 
25th.— Almoit continuous rain from 0 A.M. to 7 a.ji,, and from 3 P.M. to 7 P.M; dull 
and drizzly between. 
26th.—Overcast day, with drizzle from 8 A.M. to 10 A.M.; clear cold night. 
27th.—Sunny throughout. 
28th.—First grass frost of the season in early morning ; occasionally cloudy at midd.iy,, 
but bright sunshine almost throughout. 
29th.—Bright sunshine in morning ; generally cloudy in afternoon. 
Temperature rather above the average at th ‘ beginning, and below it at the end at 
the week. No rain during the colder time.—G. J. Symoxs. 
