1 Szpr., 1898. ] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, 197 
If ensilage consists of pigeon-pea and maize, and is mixed with maizemeal, 
and no change of food is given, the cattle will go almost dry, the milk produc- 
tion being almost mz/. Further experiments will be made with ensilage, and the 
results will be published in the Journal. 
It would, however, appear that although the silo is a most valuable 
adjunct to the farm as a stand-by against bad seasons, yet the dairyman must 
not expect much in the way of milk production by its use alone. He must 
provide his milkers with green food of some kind or another in order to keep 
up the supply. 
THE DAIRY FACTORY SYSTEM. 
Tire year which is passing away is a noteworthy one with the dairy farmer, if 
only for two causes, says ‘“Merlin”’ in Lhe ield—the tremendous efforts which 
have been put forth by Canada and the United States for the establishment of, 
a big market for butter in this country, and the marked stride which has been 
taken in Ireland. in connection with Irish creameries, and which, it is to be 
hoped, will be. still greater in the coming year under the beneficent guidance 
of Mr. Horace Plunkett, M.I., and his friends. I have been reading the 
account of a Belgian creamery, which is supported by a large number of two 
and three cow farmers, who are required to find so much capital per cow, but 
who are permitted to subscribe it through the medium of deductions on the 
quantity of milk they send. An excellent suggestion lies at the back of this 
practice., If a man with three cows supplies six gallons of milk per day 
during a large portion of the year, and is able, as in this country, to allow 
two-twentieth, of 1d. per titre, or very nearly id. per gallon, to remain, it is 
not long. betore he becomes a small capitalist. Let us suppose that a twenty- 
cow farmer, contributing to a co-operative creamery, in this country, 
followed, the same. plan; assuming that he contributed thirty-six gallons 
per day, and. that from each gallon 7d. was kept back when | his 
cheque was paid, be would at the end of the year have a nest-egg amount- 
ing to about £13.10s. He, would scarcely feel the deduction from his, 
weekly cheque, and he would convert his society into a savings bank, 
which, in course of time, would help him immensely to increase his stock or to 
extend his holding. When a young man looks forward to what it is possible 
to save in the course of years, the end is so far distant that he usually declines 
to commence the burden of saving; but when an older man looks back he only 
too clearly, sees how true itis that a resolution to commence and continue to 
save is one of the wisest which any man can adopt who is. dependent. upon his 
own exertions. In Belgium there are many local societies which possess off- 
shoots in the form, of mutual credit societies, cattle insurance societies, fire 
insurance, cattle breeding societies, and associations for the purchase of the 
material for the farm. Why should not the farmers, who run every creamery, 
institute one or more of these very economical organisations, especially those, 
intended to provide them against loss in case of the death of a cow, and to 
provide the form of credit which is generally understood: by the term “land 
bank”? or “credit bank.” It is worthy of notice that, in the case of the creamery 
to which I have referred, the machinery is worked by an electric plant, 
and that this plant is utilised for the supply of light to the neighbours 
in the streets, the church, and the station, with the result that the cost of 
production is diminished by one-half. Here, then, lies a second suggestion. 
Why should not the power of the creamery be utilised when it is not required, 
which, in some cases, means eighteen hours out of the twenty-four, as it is in 
a few cases in Ireland P : 
