L Jury, 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, 29: 
that should receive as much attention as the dairy, and with care and energy 1t 
will often return as much to the farmer as the dairy. Of course, it is not 
going to return everything in a fortnight. Mr. Robinson suggested crossing 
the Indian game on our present poultry ; but the objection to that is, that the 
poultry we have now are too small and too inbred, besides being nondescript. 
If you put Indian game on that class of bird, you would find that the result 
would not be so good as if you started to breed the birds to size first. If you 
can put the Indian game on to the old type of Cochin Chinas, you will do some 
good ; but I am afraid there are not many of the Cochin Chinas about, as the 
breed has not been much in fashion during the last few years. The only 
rooster you should have on your place is the one in the breeding pens. Never 
run a male bird with your laying hens. The Indian game and Dorking cross 
has been recommended, but by crossing the Indian game on the Orpington 
you will get a bigger bird, and weight is very important. 
The next paper was by Mr. A. H. McSuanz, of Toowoomba, on— 
DAIRYING IN QUEENSLAND. 
[By A. H. McSuayz, Drayton and Toowoomba Agricultural and Horticultural Society.] 
To attempt to deal with the dairying industry in all its phases and with its many 
side issues, exhaustively, would occupy too much of our time. I therefore propose 
to give briefly a review of its early history and gradual developments. Then we 
shall arrive at its present stage; and some of the difficulties and evils surrounding 
the industry will be pointed out, and suggestions made for their remedy. 
Dairying has, of course, been carried on in Queensland since the days of the 
early pioneers; but, as it can hardly be classed as an industry till factories—both 
butter and cheese —came into existence, we will start our review with the year 1891, 
when the first statistics were published. At this time we find that over 900 tons of 
butter and 80 tons of cheese were produced, nearly 2,090 people being employed in 
the business. Of course, the greater portion of this manufacture was done on the 
farms, there being only one or two small factories in existence then. Steady progress 
was made during the next few years, particularly in the direction of establishin 
factories and creaming stations in closely settled districts. ‘The higher value mista 
upon the milk production by the establishment of these skimming stations in con- 
junction with factories became so apparent and convincing that numbers of 
farmers, who had hitherto confined themselves entirely to agriculture, entered 
into the dairying business with such energy that we find, in 1900, fifty-three 
butter and cheese factories and 146 creameries in existence. During this year, 
3,875 tons of butter and 1,984,705 lb. of cheese were made—a wonderful increase in 
nine years. ‘The value of these products was roughly £300,000, so that we find the 
industry (at this time still in its infancy) rapidly becoming one of the most important 
in Queensland. Since 1898, a marvellous development has taken place. There lias 
been what might be termed a “boom” in connec ion with the industry. Districts 
Hiei lithert iia never attempted dairying were forced into the business by the 
profitable returns obtained by the milk-producers, and to-day we find dairying carried 
on all over Southern Queensland and as far north as Mackay. The expansion in 
reduction naturally led us to seek outside markets, the demand in Queensland 
Hari been overtaken. England has always been regarded as tlie market ior surplus 
Australian butter, and in 1897 our first shipment was made. During that year 188 
tons of butter were exported, valued at £16,800. In 1898 the export more than 
doubled that of the previous year, the value being £37,500, which increased to £49,000 
jn 1899 The shippers had all along realixed the disadvantages of not having a regular 
and frequent service for the conveyance of their produce. The British-India Steam 
Navigation Company’s steamers only sailed monthly, which necessitated the butter 
being stored here sometimes as long as four weeks. These vessels also took much 
longer to reach England than the Peninsular and Oriental and Orient Company’s 
boats by which our Southern competitors were shipping. The Government were 
approached with a view to persuading the P. and O. and Orient boats to call here, 
and, failing that, to establish connection with these vessels by means of a fortnight] 
service from Queensland. The Government realised the importance of quic 
transit, and, as the P. and O. and Orient Companies could not be persuaded 
to come to Brisbane, gave a guarantee to the Adelaide Shipping Company to 
cover the freight between Brisbane and Sydney for the shipping season (190C 
