523 
JOURNAL  OR'  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
June  16,  1904. 
employs  bulls  from  deep  milking  motbers,  he  will  always  have 
a  supply  of  likely  heifers  to  fill  the  places  of  the  aged,  and  also 
a  few  likely  bulls  for  sale;  but  this  sort  of  thing  is  not  done  in 
a  day.  It  is  almost  beyond  the  means  of  the  ordinary  dairyman. 
True  he  might  often  do  better  than  he  does,  but  we  are  not 
always  alive  to  all  his  difficulties  and  dangers.  For  instance, 
once  let  him  get  contagious  abortion  established,  he  may  get 
such  a  knock  back  that  he  might  as  well  have  an  attack  of 
rinderpest.  Abortion  may  be  introduced  to  bis  premises  by  t^e 
very  cow  that  he  has  paid  a  high  figure  for  with  the  view  of 
improving  his  herd.  A  new  bull  may  be  equally  a  source  of 
danger.  As  for  milk  fence,  we  are  of  opinion  that  there  need 
not  be  much  fear  of  it  if  proper  and  suitable  precautions  are 
taken. 
We  do  not  want  to  find  fault  with  the  Milk  Bill,  but  there  are 
times  when  it  presses  on  the  individual  man.  We  believe  it  to 
be  a  praiseworthy  attempt  to  protect  the  public  from  fraud  ; 
but  the  difficulty  is  that  the  provisions  of  the  Bill  draw  a  hard 
and  fast  line.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  the  law  of  averages ;  and 
we  think  it  would  be  fairer  not  to  condemn  a  man  as  a  rogue 
just  because  at  one  particular  milking  the  constituents  of  the 
fluid  are  below  par,  but  to  take  the  average,  say,  for  a  week,  and 
we  would  guarantee  that  in  ninety-nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred 
it  would  be  proved  that  the  public  in  the  week’s  total  were 
getting  above,  rather  than  below,  their  proper  quantity  of  butter 
fat  and  solids.  We  read  lately  of  one  large  town  where  the 
analyst  averred  that  in  ninety  cases  out  of  one  hundred  the 
milk  samples  brought  under  his  notice  were  above  the  require¬ 
ments  of  the  Act.  We  do  think  there  are  circumstances  where 
the  dairyman  is  open  to  a  little  blame.  We  think  he  should 
be  at  the  trouble  of  testing  periodically,  and  separately,  the 
milk  of  each  cow,  and  if  he  finds  one  or  more  constant  offenders, 
that  milk  should  certainly  not  be  mixed  with  that  intended  for 
sale.  If  he  made  a  practice  of  this  he  might  save  himself 
unpleasant  and  expensive  experiences  before  those  Avho  sit  in  the 
seats  of  the  mighty.  A  man  now  is  not  committed  for  wilful 
misdoing;  his  sins  of  omission  are  counted  as  equally  gross  as 
the  sins  of  commission. 
We  gee  that  in  one  northern  county  there  is  an  association 
formed  to  protect  the  interest  of  the  dairyman:  to  investigate 
fully  any  cases  where  the  law  unduly  and  hardly  affects  a 
member,  and  also  to  keep  the  members  fully  alive  to  the  fact 
that  their  salvation  in  a  great  measure  lies  in  their  own  hands. 
A  small  dairyman  has  little  chance  to  successfully  contest  any 
case  before  the  public  analyst  and  a  bench  of  magistrates.  An 
association  is  more  powerful,  and  more  likely  to  be  heard.  We 
fear  in  many  cases  the  dairyman  suffers  by  reason  of  causes  over 
which  he  has  not  the  slightest  control.  When  once  the  milk  is 
•delivered  at  the  station  his  control  ceases,  and  from  numberless 
cases  which  are  continually  arising,  there  is  a  great  question  as 
to  what  does  happen  to  the  milk  in  course  of  transit.  It  cer¬ 
tainly  is  not  of  the  same  quality  when  it  reaches  the  retail  cus¬ 
tomers  as  it  was  ivhen  it  left  the  cowhouse.  The  quantity  is 
not  always  there,  and  if  the  measure  is  full,  quality  is  not  up 
to  concert  pitch.  We  observed  a  gentleman  telling  the  tale  of 
his  milk  experience  at  the  late  Dairy  Conference  held  at  Not¬ 
tingham,  how,  w'hen  his  cans  were  opened  at  the  far  end,  a 
pipe  has  been  found,  and  also  tea-leaves.  Articles  of  this  sort 
cannot  escape  detection,  but  admixture  of  water  possibly  might 
pass  nine  times  out  of  ten.  If  at  the  tenth  time  the  inspector 
should  be  about,  what  then.^  There  is  no  doubt  of  it  that  locked 
or  sealed  cans  should  be  the  rule,  not  fhe  exception.  Of  course, 
the  lock  must  not  be  a  common  one,  but  there  are  plenty  of  good 
locks  that  are  not  easily  opened,  or,  at  any  rate,  would  leave 
marks  of  any  tampering  with. 
We  do  not  complain  one  moment  as  to  the  strict  pre¬ 
cautions  which  are  taken  (wholly  reasonable)  to  prevent  milk 
coming  from  any  farm  or  dairy  where  disease  exists.  The  public 
have  a  right  to  such  safeguard  ;  but  what  we  do  object  to  is, 
that  foreign  milk  can  be  landed  and  sold  and  no  questions 
asked.  Any  filthy,  dirty  disease  may  exist  in  that  place  where 
the  milk  is  produced  and  handled,  and  the  foreigner  can  with 
immunity  send  it  off  to  us  without  let  or  hindrance.  Personally, 
Ave  do  not  think  the  foreign  milk  trade  will,  in  our  lifetime, 
at  least,  assume  any  great  proportions ;  but  still,  there  is  a 
danger  to  the  public,  and  an  injustice  to  the  British  dairyman. 
Work  on  the  Home  Farm. 
Very  good  progress  is  being  made  with  farm  work.  Since 
our  last,  the  weather  has  been  fine,  but  rather  cold.  We  have 
heard  rumours  of  frost  in  the  early  morning,  but  are  thankful 
to  say  we  slept  too  well  to  notice  it  personally.  At  any  rate,  we 
can  vouch  for  the  fact  that  vegetation  has  shown  no  sign  of  a 
chill. 
We  are  through  with  swede  drilling,  and  shall  put  in  at  once 
the  greater  part  of  our  common  turnips,  so  as  to  leave  ourselves 
free  for  the  potato  earthing  and  clover  mowing.  Potatoes  of 
the  older  sorts  grown  in  the  ordinary  Avay  are  looking  w'ell.  W'e 
are  skerrying  them  and  hand-hoeing,  but  there  are  not  many 
weeds  and  the  work  is  quickly  done.  W’^e  wish  that  the  same 
might  be  said  with  regard  to  the  barley  crops,  for  they  are 
exceedingly  full  of  thistles,  and  very  difficult  to  clean. 
As  we  have  observed,  potatoes  look  v'ell,  but  we  must  except 
the  sprout-grown  plants  of  new  kinds,  which  are  rather  plentiful 
hereabouts.  The  greater  part  of  them  present  a  very  sickly 
appearance  ;  but  we  have  seen  some  nice  plots  of  N  orthern 
and  Duchess  of  Cornwall.  Old  potatoes  are  unsaleable ;  bds. 
per  ton  is  now  asked  for  the  best,  but  there,  are  no  offeis.  \\  e 
never  knew  a  June  v'hen  the  supply  of  old  potatoes  ivas  so  laige 
as  now. 
We  shall  earth  the  potatoes  up  as  quickly  as  they  come 
ready.  W’^e  have  kept  the  soil  light,  and  there  is  plenty  to  eaith 
with,  a  little  dry  perhaps,  but  potatoes  prefer  that  to  a  y  et 
blanket.  Clover  has  grown  very  well  since  the  last  warm  rains, 
and  as  a  rule  will  be  very  heavy.  It  will  not  be  in  full  hob  for 
a  fortnight ;  but  we  shall  cut  it  before  long,  as  we  are  anxious 
to  get  an  early  second  crop  for  the  lambs  in  August.  Cow-grass 
should  always  be  cut  early,  or  the  stems  will  be  like  hard  sticks. 
The  wool  trade  is  very  promising.  A  few  clips  have 
been  sold,  vmighed  up,  and  gone  into  consumption.  Buyers  are 
so  keen  that  they  ask  few  questions.  All  they  want  is  wool  of 
some  kind.  It  has  been  rather  cold  lately  for  the  young  man¬ 
golds,  and  there  has  been  a  lot  of  weeding  to  do  ;  but  mangolds 
always  are  expensive  in  labour.  As  soon  as  the  weeds  are 
removed,  a  dressing  of  nitrate  of  soda  or  sulphate  of  ammonia, 
1501b  to  2001b  per  acre,  will  have  a  wonderful  effect,  and  give  a 
handsome  return. 
Forward  cabbages  are  hearting  well,  and  will  be  a  heavy 
crop.  Spring  sown  ones  are  rather  backward,  and  Avould  receive 
great  benefit  from  a  good  dressing  of  soot. 
Board  of  Agricultupe  and  Fisheries. 
A  return  of  market  prices  of  fat  and  store  stock,  dairy 
cattle,  meat,  provisions,  fruit,  vegetables,  hay,  _  and  straw  at 
certain  representative  markets  in  Great  Britain  is  issued  every 
Wednesday  by  the  Board  of  Agriculture  and  Fisheries,  con¬ 
taining  information  for  the  week  ending  with  the  previous 
Saturday,  price  one  penny  per  copy,  to  be  obtained,  either' 
directly  or  through  any  bookseller,  from  Eyre  and  Spottiswoode, 
East  Harding  Street,' E  C.  ;  Oliver  and  Boyd,  Edinburgh;  or 
E.  Ponsonby,  116,  Grafton  Street,  Dublin.  A  copy  Avill  be  sent 
regularly,  post  free,  as  issued,  by  the  publishers,  for  three,  six, 
or  twelve  months,  on  payment  of  a  subscription  at  the  rate  of 
Cs.  6d.  per  annum. 
Agricultural  Organisation. 
The  third  annual  report  of  the  Agricultural  Organisation 
Society:, of  Great  Britain  just  issued,  contains  Avithin  its  80  pages 
a  summary  of  the  progress  of  the  movement  during  1903.  A 
glance  at  its  table  of  contents  shoAvs  that  the  society  takes  a 
practical  interest  in  all  matters  affecting  the  social  and  economic 
Avelfare  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  rural  districts.  Though 
farming  by  co-operative  societies  does  not  make  any  advance  in 
this  country,  the  various  forms  of  co-operation  advocated  and 
promoted  by  the  A.O.S.  ai'e  evidently  more  successful  as  shoAvn 
by  statistics.  The  report  contains  many  practical  details  of  the 
Avorking  of  the  affiliated  societies,  together  with  illustrations 
of  the  co-operative  dairies  at  Long  Bennington,  Lincolnshire, 
the  Lampeter  Dairy,  S.  Wales,  the  Nidderdale  Dairy,  and  the 
Vicar’s  Farm  Bottled  Milk  Society,  Worcestershire.  .Some  in¬ 
teresting  details  are  also  included  regarding  the  Co-operative 
Factory  at  Sealford,  in  Leicestershire,  which  has  been  estab¬ 
lished  exclusively  for  the  irroduction  of  Stilton  cheese,  and  re¬ 
presents  the  only  real  attemiDt  made  by  Leicestershire  farmers 
to  combine  in  competition  with  the  proprietary  factories  of  that 
county.  A  profit  has  been  made  on  the  season’s  trading, 
during  Avhich  about  £2,000  Avorth  of  cheeses  have  been  sold. 
The  most  striking  progress  in  the  adoption  of  co-operative 
methods  during  1903  took  place  in  Wales,  where  the  number  of 
co-operative  societies  rose  in  number  from  10  to  20.  One  re¬ 
cently-formed  society  in  the  Principality  is  mentioned,  which 
has  already  a  turnover  of  £100  per  AAmek,  and  has  considerably 
reduced  the  prices  of  agricultural  requirements,  Avhich  obtained 
in  the  district  previous  to  its  establishment.  It  is  anticipated 
that  Avhen  the  Welsh  societies  have  carried  out  their  scheme  of 
federation,  the  good  results  already  achieved  will  even  be  im¬ 
proved  upon.  The  income  last  year  consisted  of  subscriptions 
to  the  amount  of  £700,  and  £990  in  donations.  The  committee 
give  their  reasons  for  appealing  for  more  ■substantial  support 
in  view  of  the  great  importance  of  the  movement,  not  only  to 
the  agricultural  interest,  but  also  to  the  nation  at  large.  They 
give  figures  explaining  that  to  adequately  carry  on  their  work 
an  income  of  at  least  £3,000  per  annum  is  immediately  required. 
A  meeting  of  the  society  to  give  greater  publicity  to  its  Avork, 
aims,  and  objects,  Avill  be  held  (by  kind  permission  of  Mr.  Julius 
Wernher),  at  Bath  House,  Piccadilly,  on  Monday,  -June  20,  at 
2.30  p.m.,  which  Avill  be  presided  over  by  the  Earl  of  Coventry. 
