<y')vk}:At  HonrrouLTvnvj  ak^T)  oonwoE  GARifEE'En. 
Decetobsf  Ji,  1696 
I  ,  >> 
A  his  yearly  wages,  t.he  annual  killing  has  just  taken  place.  Ih'i 
foreman  having  had  mast  experience  acts  as  batcher,  the  others  nndor- 
laking  the  duties  of  aasisianis.  Alany  hands  make  light  work;  and  tfans 
in  one  day  i’everai  30-ii.one  pig*  are  slaughtered  and  cut  up  within  the 
twenty-four  hours.  Thirty  stones  is  the  allowance  per  man,  and  if  his 
pig  weighs  less  or  more,  market’s  price  is  charged  ia  making  a  balance. 
FEES  ENT  ATiON  TO  MR.  AND  MRS.  EDWARD  WEBB. 
The  Drill  Hall,  Wordsley,  was  the  scene  of  rejoicings  last  week, 
v/hen  ’O''  persons  were  present  at  a  dinner,  at  ’■■s’Hich  Colonel  W.  &. 
Webb  presided,  on  the  occasion  of  a  silver  wedding  presentation  to  Mr. 
an,:  Mrs.  Webb  by  the  managers,  agents,  travellers,  and  employet  of  the 
great  f  rm  of  seerlsmen.  The  presents,,  of  which  an  illustration  has  been 
sent  to  us,  and  which  are  described  as  follows,  consisted  of  “  a  massive 
and  costly  silver  bowl,  and  a  pair  of  silver  claret  jugs.  The  bowl  is  of 
capacious  dimensions,  and  treated  in  the  Komanesque  manner,  the 
principal  decoration  consisting  of  a  grand  bas-relief  of  Cupids  (typical  of 
happiness  and  prosperity)  which  completely  encircles  it.  The  handles 
are  finely  modelled  and  richly  decorated,  the  body  beingi'finiihed  to 
FIG,  107.— K^IPLOYES’  SILVER  WADDING  PRESENT  TO  ME.  E.  WEBB. 
match.  The  handsome  claret  jugs  are  in  harmony  with  the  bowl,  the 
decoration  being  similar.  All  the  pieces  are  engraved  with  Mr.  Webb’s 
crest,  and  the  large  plinth  surmounted  by  a  silver  plate  bearing  the 
following  inscription  : — ‘  Presented,  with  a  pair  of  claret  jugs,  to  Mr,  and 
Mrs.  El  ward  Webb  of  Stndley  Court,  Stourbridge,  on  the  occasion  of 
their  Silver  Wedding,  by  the  Managers,  Travelleis,  Clerks,  and  Ware¬ 
housemen  of  the  Royal  Seed  Establishment  and  Ivy  Mills,  Wordsley  ; 
also  Chemical  Work^,  Saltney,  Cheshire,  August  17tb,  1896.’  The  total 
weight  represents  about  272  ozt.  of  silver.” 
The  silver  wedding  day  was  on  August  17t,h,  a  time  that  was  not 
convenient  for  a  general  gathering  of  the  members  of  the  arm  and 
employ i'.t.  The  presentation  was  made  by  Mr.  E.  Griffiths,  who  ia  enter¬ 
ing  on  his  twenty-fifth  year  of  service  in  the  firm.  Mr,  and  Mrs.  Webb 
responded  in  warmly  appreciative  speeches,  the  former  observing  that 
in  the  firm  of  Edward  Webb  k.  S  ms  there  had  never  been  the  slightest 
ill  feeling  between  masters  and  servants  during  a  period  of  five  and 
twenty  years. 
AUSTRALIAN  DAIRY  FARMING. 
In  Australia,  especially  New  South  Wales,  dairy  farming  has  made 
great  progress  of  late  years,  and  there  is  every  prospect  of  its  developing 
Into  a  staple  industry.  The  introdnctiou  of  the  factory  sys’em  in  con¬ 
venient  centres,  the  great  improvements  eff:>cted  in  dairy  appliances,  and 
the  establishment  of  direct  railway  communication  with  Sydney,  have 
done  much  towards  developing  the  industry.  Da  ry  farming  is  not  now, 
as  formerly,  w. roily  confined  to  farmers,  as  many  graziers  in  a  large  way 
of  business,  especially  in  the  coastal  districts,  have  lately  turned  their 
attention  to  th-:  industry,  and  are  I'kely  to  find  it  profitable. 
When  the  factory  system  was  first,  introduced  the  process  of  cream 
separation  and  butter  making  were  carried  on  together.  This  arrange¬ 
ment  is  gradually  dying  out,  and  central  butter  factories,  fed  by 
numerous  separating  places  called  “creameries,”  are  taking  the  place  of 
the  others.  The  advantages  to  be  gained  from  the  change  are  consider- 
abie — a  butter  of  more  nniform  quality  is  made  in  each  centre,  and 
t.aere  is  a  reduction  ia  the  cost  of  manafacturci  owing  to  the  greater 
quantity  made  and  the  improved  appliances.  SBch  as  refrigerators,  wbioh. 
the  larger  establishments  can  profitably  provide.  Most  of  the  factories 
and  creameries  are  condneted  on  the  co-operative  principle.  Many  of 
the  native  grasses  are  particularly  suitable  for  dairy’  cattle,  as  they 
posses.^  milk-producieg  as  well  as  fattening  qualities.  The  mildness  of 
the  colonial  winter  season  enables  dairymen  to  avoid  the  heavy  expense 
of  stall  feeding,  and  although  a  certain  amonnt  of  winter  fedder  is 
grown,  it  is  given  to  the  cattle  in  the  fields.  The  crops  most  popular 
for  this  purpose  are  Maize,  Barley,  Oats,  l^e.  Lucerne,  and  the  brown 
variety  of  Sorghum,  or  Planter’s  Friend.  En.«ilago,  although  very  good 
for  dairy  cowe,  is  not  used  so  generally  as  it  should  be. 
The  area  of  land  devoted  to  green  food  and  permanent  artificially 
sown  grasses  has  been  largely  extended  during  the  last  few  years,  and 
in  March,  1895,  it  amounted  to  over  415,000  acres.  The  prodace  of  this 
land  is  devoted  to  the  dep/isturing  of  dairy  cattle,  and  as  the  area  is 
still  below  the  present  requirements,  an  extension  of  this  form  of  cultiva¬ 
tion  may  be  anticipated.  For  many  years  the  districts  from  which  the 
dairy  produce  came  was  from  the  country  on  the  npper  waters  of  the 
Hawkesbury  River,  and  from  the  farms  on  the  coast  division,  but 
principally  from  Camden,  Wollongong,  Illawarra,  and  Ulladnlla  district*. 
Latterly,  however,  with  the  introduction  of  improved  dairying  appli¬ 
ances,  and  the  formation  of  co-operative  dairy  factories,  a  paying  export 
trade  ia  dairy  produce  has  been  established ;  and  not  only  has  the 
number  of  dairy  farmers  greatly  increased,  bnt  many  of  the  larger 
cattle-owners  in  the  coast  and  mountainous  divisions,  and  even  on  the 
western  slopes,  who  are  within  reach  of  steam  carriage,  and  who  formerly 
devoted  their  attention  to  fattening  cattle,  have  gone  extensively  into 
dairying,  finding  that  dairy  produce  pays  them  batter  than  beef.  The 
industry  is  bound  to  increase,  for,  although  extensive  tracts  of  the 
colony  are  well  adapted  for  grain-growing,  the  same  country  is  specially 
so  for  dairying  and  fruit-growing. 
The  output  of  dairy  produce  is  annually  on  the  increase,  and  large 
numbers  of  cattle  are  required  to  improve  and  maintain  the  character 
and  strength  of  the  dairy  herds.  It  was  estimated  that  at  the 
31st  December,  1894,  there  were  438,211  dairy  cows  in  the  colony, 
consisting  principally  of  what  may  be  termed  the  Grade  Shorthorn, 
and  not  unfrequently  a  dash  of  the  Ayrshire,  obtained  from  the  early 
importations  of  that  breed.  In  some  few  instances  the  herds  are  almost 
pure  Shorthorns.  Of  late  years,  however,  considerable  nurabens  of 
Ayrshire  and  some  Alderney  balls  have  been  introduced  into  what  may 
be  termed  the  Australian  dairy  herds,  with  good  results,  so  far  as  the 
dairy  produce  is  conceraed,  though  not  as  regards  the  steers.  Still,  as 
dairy,  produce  pays  better  than  veal  or  beef,  the  introdaction  of  the 
pure  milking  breeds — or,  at  least,  the  breeding  of  cattle  for  milk  instead 
of  beef — ia  bound  to  go  on  and  increase,  especially  as  cbe  dairymen  are 
beginning  to  see  that,  if  they  are  to  make  their  business  pay,  they  mast 
go  very  much  more  extensively  than  hitherto  into  providing  cultivated 
food  for  the  cows  during  winter. — J.  Plummer,  Sydney,  N.8.W, 
TRADE  CATALOGUES  RECEIVED. 
J.  Carter  &  Co.,  High  Holbora. — Texted  Garden  Seeds. 
Cooper,  Taber  &  Co.,  Limited,  Southwark  Street,  London. —  Wholesale 
Seed  Catalogue. 
Dicksons,  Limited,  Chester. — Seeds  and  Potatoes. 
Dobbie  &  Co.,  Rothesay. — Catalogue  aihd  Competitors'  Guide. 
Kelway  &  Son,  Lungport,  Somerset.— Manual. 
Ch.  Loren Erfurt. — Seeds. 
J.  R.  Pearson  &  Sons,  Ohllwell. —  Garden  Seeds — Chrysanthemums. 
J.  Peed  &  Sons,  West  Norwood. — Si'eds. 
J.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Royal  Exotic  Nursery,  Chelsea. — Catalogue  oj 
Seed*. 
B.  S.  Williams  &  Son,  Upper  Holloway. — Seeds. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS, 
Oamdkn  Squab*.  London. 
Lat.Sloia'  iO"  N.;  Loa^.ooa/O"  W.:  Altitude  111  feet. 
Datb.  ' 
.  ...  .1  .  ■  .  , 
9  A.U, 
■- 
IN  THH  DAT. 
j  •«i<a  1 
t|g|iHygroru.eter. 
1896.  lgo',3, 
Direc¬ 
tion  of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of  soli 
as 
Ifoot. 
.. 
Shade  Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
X/eci'iUwr*  H  CO  eB  1 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
jinohs.t  ieg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Inchs. 
Sunday  13  !  29-7891  3b’9 
N.W. 
«l-0 
43-7 
35-0 
81-8 
28  2 
0-32  i 
Monday  ..  14  129-076;  39-4 
33-7 
N.B. 
40-2 
4t-3 
36-9 
46-8 
303 
0-037 
Tuesday  ...  16  I29-611 1  38-.8 
37  2 
N. 
4‘j-l 
41-6 
So-O 
62-1 
32-1 
Wednesday  i  ;>  i29-77  ;  33-1 
34-6 
N.W. 
88-7 
36  ^ 
27-4 
44-1 
32  0 
1— 
Thursday..  17  i  29-687  |  29*2 
29-2 
N.W. 
87-7 
.94-1 
26-9 
34 -0 
S5-0 
Friday  ..  ’8  129-638,  30*1 
30-1 
N. 
37-9 
28  2 
34-9 
26  2 
Satur^y  . .  19  |29-742  j  33*9 
33  6 
N. 
86-7 
36-1 
26-6 
41-2 
22-9 
— 
129-696  ;  34-7 
1  ! 
34-2 
j  58  S 
! 
36  2 
31-1 
43-8 
26  6 
0-368 
REMARKS, 
iSlh.— Almoat  cloudless  morning  ;  overcast  from  2  P.M.,  and  rainy  from  6  P.M. 
14th.— Overcast  with  occasional  thowers,  bnt  gleams  of  sun  at  noon ;  lauar  halo  at 
6  P.M. 
16th — Overcast  ani  damp  early;  rainy  from  10  to  1!  a.  u.,  then  bright  S3us)/.ne  till 
sunset,  and  clear  night. 
18th.— Cki'd  and  raw  morning,  i  hen  sonny,  and  fog  in  evening. 
I'th,— Dull  and  damp,  rad  aliishtly  foggy  almost  li.roui.hout ;  a  I'ttlt  sleet  in  evci.lnt. 
iSth.— Fog  early,  and  sHg'-.t  fog  most  of  day ;  bright  night. 
10th.— Pair,  but  clouiiy  ;  a  Um  fiakos  of  enow  at  11.30  A.u., 
A  cold  week,  but  in  no  way  remarkably  bo  for  the  time  of  year.— G.  J.  SrMONfj, 
