The Daily News TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1905. CANADIAN DAIRYING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 782, 28 March 1905, Page 2

The Daily News TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1905. CANADIAN DAIRYING.

The importance of our dairy produce trade is such as to make us lake jrreat interest in the methods and aims of our rivals. According to a recent report of the Canadian Agricultural Department, the repute of Canadian butter has been augmented during the past year, in fact, so much so as to give rise to Ilia opinion that it will soon occupy an equal footing with the New Zealand article. Of the total 500 million packages of butter required, by England Canada supplies 50 millions, an increase of over 800 per cent, in nine years. Denmark supplies 40 per cent, of British imports. This position has caused the dairy branch of the Agricultural Department to endeavour to arouse farmers to a duo appreciation of their great opportunity, and to stir them up to the necessity of the proper improvement of all dairy herds. Denmark, occupying an unrivalled position as a daify producer, has made rapid and wonderful strides in this direction within recent years. The active cooperation of the small farmer is one of the factors making for this, for without, of couisj, Government measures would be useless. It is pointed out that co-operative testing has done marvellous things for the Danish dairy herds in the way of cheapening the cost of production. The first of these co-operative testing associations was formed in 1895. Each society is composed of a limited number of farmers, about twelve or fifteen, who agree to have careful tests-of their cows made at frequent intervals during the whole milking 1 period by a competent hired man for the purpose. By this means fairly accurate information is obtained relating to the yield of milk and butter-fat, and the amount of fodder consumed. The knowledge as to breeding, feeding, and culling thus gained has had a most beneficial effect on trade, for in 1895 the value of butter exported was between £4,000,000 and £5,000,000, increasing to £7,000,000 in 1901. when over three hundred of these testing associations were scattered over the country. This increase of over 50 per cent, is generally attributed to the weeding out of the poor cows, under the methods adojjted. Not only is the average production of the cows increased, but by skilful feeding the cost of fodder necessary to produce one pound of Tautler is now estimated at less than two-thivds of the former cost. The Canadian officials consider that such a line of action can very easily be inaugurated with the Dominion, and that it only needs the true position to be placed before producers for them to enter heartily into the scheme. ON THE I'OLKT I'AGB, Literature. Uuncral News,