BUILDING UP A DAIRY BREED.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1395, 11 June 1881, Page 3

BUILDING UP A DAIRY BREED.

It iB!greatly to be regretted, beoauso ifris r great loss, not only to the farmers individually > but to 1 the .country,, that so little attention is still paid to the breeding of a , superior class of dairy oows. Go where you- pleas© throughout pur land and you will find it impossible to pick up , a good , herd of these. You will see plenty of oows whioh are recommended by their owners as first-rate, for the dairy, arid undoubtedly they honestly believe it, but oome to put theao to the test of the i Quantity of milk given and ■ weight of butter or cheese mode from it, and very few out 'of all will prove profitable cows — that is to say, that will pay the interest on their cost, .gradual depreciation in value by increasing age, for food consumed ' mkT fair wages for the labor /bestowed in taking care of them, and manufacturing and marketing their milk product. All this I have proved from my o^vn experience. Arranging to go into the dairy business some years ago, I determined on purchasing "about thirty first-class /cows to begin with. I' accordingly, visited r for this, purpose those, districts which had the highest reputation for breeding ouch. After keeping these, thoroughly testing them with extra care and keep for one season, 1 found that not more than half of .them would , leave me any profit, and the;other half cjime con-,, siderably short of reasonable expectation. I then determined to breed up a herd ?ny-i self. My first move was to get a fine compact shorthorn bull of a milking family to cross ■on these cows. The heifers of this cross gave a considerably increased quantity of milk, and kept up its quality. Wishing then to make butter eotirely from it, I found it would be necessary to obtain richer milk, and such as would ,givo a good rich oolor in winter as well as summer. In order to breed cows to do this I purchased a Guernsey bull of golden-colored skin and hair, and put him to my best-selecterl grade shorthorn heifers. From this cross I have got exactly what I wanted, which | is a large quantity of milk of extra rich quality from each animal I now keep in my herd. This pays handsomely, for such cows do not consume any more food that the first I bought elsewhere, and, I, get a largely-increased amount of batter annually from them ; and this being of a superior quality, I obtain a higher price for it in the market, Another advantage it has always a quick sale ; in fact, I can • scarcely make enough of it to supply, my | customers. Most of the crossbred cows are nearly as large as full-bred shorthorns,, and a few almost as fine of form,"as in choosing my Guernsey bull I had regard ■ to his make-up as well as to dairy qualities of both sire and dam from which he was descended. This is important to do, whatever may be the breed from which we select.' There are goad' and poor' animals among all these, and if we wish to have a choice herd we must invariably grow up a valuable herd, every animal of which, when we may wish to sell, we can do so at once, and at a wellpaying price for the breeding and rearing. — G., in New York Tribune.

The new pure cash system now being initiated by G. and C. will certainly prove a benefit to the public. It has been a great success in Sydney and Melbourne, and when strictly carried out the customer who buys at an establishment where the goods are marked low to ensure a rapid sale must be a great gainer. G. and C. sell their drapery millinary, and clothing at such prices for cash a* gives the buyer the advantages of a shareholder in a co-operative society, without the risk of being called upon to bearaportion of the loss should the yeai's business prove unsatisfactory. Garlick and Cranwell will aim to retain the confidence which the public have hitherto shown them, and are determined to give the pure cash system a fair trial ; whether they gain or lose the first year. Country buyers on remitting cash with order will be supplied with goods at co-operative prices ; just the same as though they made a personal selection. Furnishing goods, such as carpets, floor cloths, bedsteads, bedding, and generai house furniture, the largest portion of which is turned out at our own factory, will be marked at the lowest remunerative prices, and a discount of five per cent, will be allowed to those who pay at the time of purchase. G. &C. having realised the entire value of their stock during their late cash sale, the present stock is Nl'W AND CHKAPr.Y bought. An inspection is invited. — Garlick and Cranwell, City Hall Furnishing Arcade Queenstreet, Auckland