THE DAIRYING BOOM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1519, 15 August 1912, Page 8

THE DAIRYING BOOM.

MARLBOROUGH A COMING DISTRICT. It was indicated last season that Marlborough would probably, in the near future, beosnie a largo dairying centre, and it would appear- that the prediction was substantially correct. Some nino months ago there was a movement on toot to form a co-operative factorv at Kiverlands, and a very complete canvass was made of farmers to see what support would be forthcoming. The results were very satisfactory, but after two meetings had been held it was decided to abandon the co-operative movement, and supply the .cream to a Wellington firm of butter merchants, Messrs. Hill and Barton, who intended shipping it to their Wellington' factory. Mr; Hill made -arrangements to put on a motor-van to collect cream from various farms in the district, and in fulhllment of this promise ho , took the motor-van ever to Blenheim last weekana it started its cream-collecting rounds yesterday. After spending a week going around • Mnrlborough, Mr. Hill informed a representative of The Dominion Tuesday, that he was. astounded at the progress" dairy-' ing was making about Blenheim, and predicted that in five years' time the industry would havn increased tenfold. Tlio first move of an up-to-date character had been .when a number of farmers, in conduction with his firm and Messrs. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., purchased a lino of grade Jersey and grade Holstein cows from Mr. Lancaster's herd in Palroersto'n Jvorth. These wero distributed amongst i various herds in Blenheim. A great assistance to tho industry in Blenheim and surrounding district was the excellent results which can .be got from lucerne. Four °t I 0 crops °* ay per can be ° ut; off the hicernc, and these provide - the cows with plenty of winter feed. The lucerno land is capable of carrying a cow per acre. Numbers of farmers of the well-to-do class, who have been cropping for years, continued Mr. Hill, α-re now talking of putting on fairly large herds, and installing milking machines, etc., provided that they can get the right class of men prepared to milk on shares. Besides this, it was rumoured, that a large estate was being offeredr.to-'.the Government , on debenture?, redeemable in 21 ' j-fars. If this wero so, it would make a tremendous difference to Blenheim, what was needed there being closer settlement. Ono serious drawback to Blenheom at present was the Wairan Bar, which had caused, nnd was still causing, a good nati of trouble, Tho Harbour Board had a scheme in view which, provided that they were able to get a Government subsidy, would, it was contended, not only make tho river navigable for larger steamers than those at present engaged in the hade, but would also give relief to the farms which are- at present subjected to floods. It seems to me, continued Mr. Hill, that the next fifteen or twenty years Wellington will hare to look to Blenheim for a good deal of its supplies, for as population grows here much of the land now available for cultivating purposes will be built on, Mr. Hill also stated that his firm had made arrangements to put on a motor-van for cream-collecting in the Wairarapa.

There are prosperous times ahead for Dairy Factories if prices remain as'fnvourablo as at present. There is still greater prosperity in store for the factories where' "Victor" Vats are installed. Close oh a hundred of these splendid Vats ore now on order, so immediate application is necessary if you want your Vats early. Albert J. Parton, Carterton.*