THE COWSHED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 6, 2 October 1907, Page 2

THE COWSHED.

HOW IT MIGHT BE IMPROVED. A well-known Carterton dairyfarmer, who read Lady Pnestly's indictment of cowsheds in The Dominion on Saturday, informed our.Wairsrapa representative that no doubt 1 there was a great deal in what her Ladyship stated, hut the article would have had more weight had the writer shown that she had a practical knowledge of the business. The person who talks ot abolishing cowsheds proves his or her ignorance. The cowshed might bo considerably improved from n sanitary and hygienic point of view, but it is ridiculous to assert that it should bo abolished, and that cows should bo milked in the open air. The coming of the milking-machine absolutely prohibits that schome M which, indeed, has no recommendation from the dairy-fanner, who may bo milking from' fifty to seventy and up to ono hundred and fifty cows. Our informant said that there was no reason why there should not bo a still further improvement in Ihe condition of tho Now Zealand cownlied. Much had been done during the past few years, but much more remained to be done. For instance, all cowsheds shn»W bo erected on plans

prepared and approved by the authorities, who might bo considerably helped m their work by suggestions from practical farmers. Whenever possible, the cowshed should bo a roomy buildlng, With a hay-loft and every facility for feeding tho animals. The place should havo proper drainago, witli concrete floors, so that ,«'hcn tho milking had been finished the farmer • would only need to turn on a tap in order to wash tho whole of the cxcrcta from the yard into tho drain. The water used might contain a disinfectant of some description, and then the yard would be always clean, with a hea'lthy smell. It is recognised that in many cases this procodure camiot bo gone into straight away, but that it is absolutely necessary there is not a shadow of doubt. Tlio cooling of the milk is another important item which the farmers will require to study thoroughly, so that in every possible way our produce is allowed its full chance or competing with that of tho outside world.

. The advance of' tho fibre industry is marvellous. In tho early seventies there was a spurt made to a total oxport value of £144,000 worth in a year. But a subsequent slump brought y>onfv\ a m' n down to less than iouOO. Ten years later thoro was a sudden rise to £361,000, and in ISO 7 tho value was down again to £30,000. Ihe present period of sunshine began in 1599 with £184,000 worth of fibre exported, and it has steadily increased, till last year the valuo sent out was nearly £900,000. -Prices are h'gh, plantations are extending, organisation is good. Tho yield of green leaf varies from ten or twenty tons per acre on uncultivated land to 'fifty tons on rich cultivated land, and tho ■value is about £1 a ton. Seven tons of green leaf mill down to about one ton of fibre, which sells in England to-day for over £35.

The outlook of tho whole industries of the farm was never brighter than ■it is on the day on which wo become a Dominion.

Sixteen years ago (1891)' a sheepowner, if lie wore an exactly average man, had an income from his exports of £423 10s. Ton years later (1901) ho fell upon hard times and had to be content with £300. But last year ho drew a cheque for £516. From these amounts, of course, exponses had to be paid. A man with a flock of 20,000 sheep last year had an income of £9814; and tho share of one who possessed only 200 sheep was £98.