1 Junz, 1200.) QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 469° 
| 1 June 28 pints. The average annual yield of milk per cow in this herd during 
_ the last six years is 80 gallons; the best cow in the herd gaye 1,179 gallons in 
1897, and 1,217 gallons in 1898. Premiums are offered by the Government in 
each district for the best bull, a condition of the award being that the animal 
shall be available at the request of any person living in the district, the 
| Customary charge for service being one florin (ls. 8d.) 
The dairy farms of North Holland are stated to be particularly interesting 
4s examples of small holdings. The farms vary in size between 40 and 60 
acres. It is reckoned that each cow requires 2 acres of grass land: one 
Acre for summer feed, and one acre for hay. The milk from the farms can be 
disposed of in three ways: It can either be sold in the neighbouring town; or 
_ it can be made into cheese, in which case about half the cream will be converted 
_ ‘nto butter, and the whey from the cheese used for feeding pigs; or, lastly, it 
can be sent to a condensed milk factory. The price paid for the new milk at 
the factory is stated to be just over 34d. per imperial gallon in summer, and 5d. 
lm winter. In many cases the farms are owned by the occupier, but where 
Tented the rent varies between £3 and £4 per acre, the landlord paying all the 
Cutgoings. In the case of a farm of 60 acres at Hoogkarspel, the rent was 
3 5s. per acre. ‘The stock on this farm consisted of 20 cows, 8 calves, 3 
_ heifers, 80 sheep, 4 horses, and 20 pigs, the purchased feeding stuffs used on 
this holding being 8 tons of oil cake per annum. ‘lhe labour was provided by 
the occupier, one indoor farm servant, and a labourer, with one or two extra 
ands for the hay harvest. The wages of the indoor servant were £10 per 
annum, while the labourer got 11s. 6d. per week, with breakfast and lunch. 
The butter-making industry, as has been already observed, is largely in the 
hands of co-operative associations, those in the north being generally on a large 
_ Scale, whilst in the south there are many small co-operative dairies, which are, 
_ however, gradually being transformed into cream stations, so as to allow of the 
Concentration of butter-making in larger factories. Co-operative cheese 
factories are a new development in the Edam cheese-making district of North 
olland, where most of the farmers still make their own cheese. 
A somewhat novel and interesting form of co-operation, mentioned as 
existing in South Holland, is the co-operative mart which has been established 
y an association of market gardeners and fruiterowers, known as the Westland 
ociety. By an arrangement with the society the innkeeper of each of the 
Seven villages in the district has provided an auction room for the daily sale of 
_tharket garden produce, and all the produce which is not sold privately is 
brought daily to the auction-room, and sold to buyers who attend the sales 
from Rotterdam, the Hague, and other large towns. That these marts have 
proved of great benefit is stated to be shown by the rapid extension of the 
Sardens and the increase in glasshouses since the society came into existence 
and the marts were opened. 
Wages in the purely agricultural districts visited were under, rather than 
_ Over, those paid in Essex, and the hours of labour longer; but there was, it is 
Stated, an appearance of contentment among the people, and no signs of 
pauperism were to be seen. The lowest customary wage was Is. 8d. a day of 
ten to twelve hours, which is stated to be from 30 to 40 per cent. below the 
Tates current in Essex; but on one of the farms visited the labourers got a 
Cottage rent free, and in North Holland certain meals are provided. It must 
also be mentioned that the women work in the fields along with the men, so that 
the earnings of a family zn be considerable. The labouring classes lead 
frugal lives, and in the poorer districts rye bread is the staple food and tea the 
avourite beverage. It was found that the labour bill on many farms reached 
the high figure of £2 10s. per acre per annum, and it is evident that, though 
Individual wages may be low, the total amount expended on labour is high.— 
Journal of Agriculture (London). 
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