FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 27 May 1907, Page 4

FARM AND DAIRY.

MAKING A DAIRY' COW. To make a first-class dairy c-i>-,v, let the heifer calve in autumn, milk tiuollg'li the winter, giving plcniiy of nutritious fond; then, when the earlv grass he-come* plentiful, -lie comes hack to full profit, and will milk on n the end of the season, a period of tweive or fourteen mouths. ]Sy following this pan during the first milking period, we educate the cow to her business, ami establish or fix the habit of milking a long as wc like. If tli'-y are allowed to go dry too early in the first year of milking tliey will do it in the second year, anil so form the habit. We want :i cowthat will not only give a good record of herself in December, but will do so for five or six months afterwards audi "iT •ihe plan suggested is followed it will develop the milking habit, and render it practicable to secure in a season ihaf large yield of bntter-fat which alone should give satisfaction.

Till': MILKING PKUlOl). An important point iu dairying is the length of the nihuing period. it lias been laid down that a not a'uaii,f I shrinkage varies \ery much; .-oaie cow.-, will give a good Mow tor some time, while with others the yield of milk f lb; otl* very rapidly. Sometimes the shrinkage is as high as 1.) per cent. That is too high altogether. The object of feeding i- that the cow may produce miik through a reasonable p.-ri .d. To do this we should give the cows plenty of succulent feed—any quantity of it. The cow needs plenty of juicy material out of which to make milk. Peas and oats cut green are very valuable, ami roots, but do not give them turnips. Every dairyman should have a silo; two tons of ensilage costing bout 12s (id are equal to on c ton of hay. which would cost from .€1 os to CI 13 4d. 11l Mimmer let the cows have plenty of shade, and See that they are well protected from Hies. Nothing will cause greater shrinkage than those two things ,—exposure to the hot. sun and le. ti i:J[." the Ilies worry the animals. The cows should get plenty of water, and there should be no excitement, because that tends to Jessen (lie yield of milk. (Jive the cows access to salt. By these means, and by looking after their comfort iji every way that we can, and milking regularly and clean, we may maintain the flow of milk.

FARMING IN DENMARK TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR BOTH SEXES. A few weeks ago Air J. ,\l. Gillespie, a member of the Closer S.'ltlemeiiK Board of Victoria, returned from a visit to Europe, lie has presented to the Closer Settlement Board, a repont upoli rural education in Denmark. He visila .arge agricultural college at llingstcd, aJiout forty miles from Copenhagen. This is a f-amplc of many such in ihe Slate. Describing it, he says:— '•The total cost of the school, including land and outbuildings, was about £BOOO. The area of the farm is 30 acres. Tile whole property h in close cultivation, and is a splendid practical example of what can be done with intense culture. The school is open to both sexes, and the minimum age is 18. .The average age of the students i- 25 for men and 23 for women. The course takes five months for women and six for men: the fees charged are 35 kroner (about £-2) per month. This includes board and lodging and all teaching. In certain circumstances the State piysthe greater portion of the fees. There were 100 in residence. The men have not much time to assist in the work of the farm, which is done I>y paid hands. Instructors accompany- elas-es to tnc different parts of the farm, and also give technic il lessons in classrooms. The farm is experimental as well as educational. The women are instruct, ed in cooking, housework, and gardening (llowers as well as vegetables), boot repairing, basket making, bookbinding, dairying, poultry keeping. and feeding of tile various animal's. They also at tend the elas-es where technical instruction is given; in fact they .ire given every advantage of learning what is necessary for a farmer's wife. There is another branch of the school whice is quite unique. The State provides a sum of €3OOO a year to pay the co-t tif small farmers or their wives coming from any part of Denmark for a visr, to the farm of 11 .lays. Bo ml arnl [billing are provided, and free railway pass given: the cost for the 11 days is 30s per individual. This opportunity is availed of to the fullest possible extent by the poore;' farmers, who come from ail parts of the country to get a few dtys' practical instruction in the'latent methods of farming. There is accommodation for HO of this class of scholars at the school.

If the young men remain {or n term beyond the six month-. 4hey get botrd and lodging free, and are employed 011 the farm work as labourers. Nearly SHOO young men ;iivd about the Same number of young women nit end annually at the various popular high schools and agricultural colleges in Denmark of which"the above is n sample. The students come from all classes of society, but. of course, chiefly from the peas int class. One of tile benefits of this system of education is that it fosters cooperation.- There is no State in the world where the benefits of co-operation are more recounised than in Denmark, an,l this is. in my opinion, one of the secrets of the great prosperity of the nation."