TRAVELLING DAIRIES.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1524, 11 April 1882, Page 3

T RAVELLING DAIRIES.

A description of the travelling dairy built for the Koyal Agricultural Society of Ireland by Mr George Patterson, of York, has been given by Canon Bagot in the I) is>/t Far men 1 Gazette^ who is very sanguine of its usefulness. The dairy, he says, is very. portable, one horse being sufficient to take it by roail, and it can also be loaded on rail by removing the Avheels. When the dairy is set down for work the wheels are removed, the sides expand and open out similarly to a street coffee van, and the spectators stand or sit on platforms erected along each side, thus being able to see all the operations carried on within the dairy. The dairy itself is 12ft. by 10ft. and contains all the appliances suitable for a ten-cow dairy. A portable boiler supplies the hot water, In hot weather a light canvass covering is fastened over tha roof, leaving an air space of about sin. By keeping this covering saturated with water (by a syringe) a moderate temperature is kept up in the dairy even in very warm weather. The staff consists of a lecturer and superiiitendant, a dairymaid, and a dairy attendant. Tli9 society's terms for hire of dairy and staff are as follows : — Seven pounds per week and transit expenses of the dahy and staff. Hirer must also supply eight gallons of cream for each churning, but receives back the butter and the buttermilk. As a rule, there are generally two churnings each day. The lecturer gives instruction previous to and throughout the whole operation from the commencement of chui'ning to the bittter being made up for the London market. No water is used to wash the butter. The butter-milk is taken out with butterworkers, and the salting does not exceed one ounce to seven pounds. Improved packages and mode of packing are exhibited. Prizes are given by the Royal Agricultural Society in each district to dairymaids who have attended at least and three lectures and churnings at the daily, pass the best v\va voce examination held by the society's lecturer at the conclusion of the visit of the the dairy. In some places as many as nineteen and twenty presented themselves for examination, and the general answering was very good indeed. In addition to a money prize, the society issues a handsome illuminated certificate. The total cost of the dairy, including fittings, was £1 30.