1 Fes., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 89 
Eyery member, as in the case of Queensland sugar-mills, becomes a guarantor 
for a certain amount. The regulations of these factories are briefly stated in 
the Journal of the Board of Agriculture, and are to the following effect :— 
It is usually stipulated that the members of the association shall deliver 
all their saleable swine to the factory for a fixed period of seven years, except 
in the case of removal from the districts. This stipulation, however, does not 
apply to boars, to sows in farrow, or to young pigs under 56 lb. (in some cases 
112 Ib.) live weight, nor does it extend to pigs sold by a member to his 
labourers or consumed in his own house. A corresponding obligation is nearly 
always imposed on the association to accept all the healthy swine consigned by 
a member to the factory. 
A member may purchase any number of pigs from another member of the 
association, and send them to the factory, provided he has fattened them for a 
period varying from twenty to thirty days before delivery. But he is not 
allowed to send in one year more than ten pigs purchased from non-members. 
The association usually defrays the expenses incurred in conveying the swine 
from the nearest railway station to the factory. All other charges for carriage 
are paid by the consignors. ! 
On removal to the factory, the pigs are divided into classes according to 
quality, the values of the different classes being fixed weekly by the council on 
the advice of the manager. In some cases the prices are paid by dead weight, 
butin the older establishments payment by live weight is still in practice. The 
offal is generally sold to the members of the association, or to the general 
public at the current prices of the day. 
The regulations do not, as a rule, contain any restrictions on the methods 
of feeding swine intended for the factories. Sometimes, however, the employ- 
ment of fish and fish cake is prohibited, as is also the use of a ration containing 
more than 50 per cent. of maize. : 
Whenever it is found that the supply of swine is falling off, the manager 
of the factory is empowered to purchase pigs from non-members of the asso- 
ciation at a price fixed weekly by the council and posted up for the information 
of members. 
At the close of the year, the profits arising from the operations of the 
association are distributed amongst the members, after provision has been 
made for the payment of the working expenses, the allocation of a certain 
sum to the reserve fund, and the part payment of loans. Each member 
receives a share of the profits in proportion to the weight of pork he has 
delivered during the year. The amount carried to the reserve fund is 
determined annually by the council, 
