A Victorian Dairy.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2590, 16 February 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

A Victorian Dairy.

In the last report of Dr. Jordan, the health officer of the city, Air J. S. Douglas's farm at Cardigan was described as a model dairy farm, and in those typhoid fever times, with milk such tin absorbent of disease germs, it is gratifying, indeed, to speak or write of a model dairy. Six miles from Ballarat, on the Smythesdale road, the traveller comes across the pretty dwelling' house of Mr Douglas, which stands back but a little way from the public road. The nice pleasing appearance of the building makes it seem like an oasis in the desert, so unlike is it from the ordinary run of country houses, and oneis instnntlv led to think thattho occupier of such a dwelling is a man with an eye to busineas and comfort. The visitor is not misled either by outside appearances, for once inside the gates and criticising all that is going on in this busy farm, ho cannot but fail to be pleased with all he sees. Mr Douglas's farm consists of 511 acres freehold and 200 acres leased, and the land is subdivided into some 10 paddocks. These paddocks are all well grassed, and afford splendid food for the 100 head of cows upon it. Each year, too, Mr Douglas has some 60 acres under crop of oats, wheat, peas, rye, barley, vetches and maize, while, not more than two crops are taken in rotation. This produce, with the addition of about 100 bags of grain weekly, does for the cattle all the year round. On an average tbere are 60 cows milked daily, and liner cows it would be hard to obtain. They are all healthy, clean and in good condition. They are never housed, except when being milked, Mr Douglas reckoning that there is nothing like cleanliness and the open air for his cows. He is apparently right, too, and it is a treat to see his splendidly conditioned animals walking into the milking shed and taking their places at the stalls. The milking shed holds 40 cows, and the most severe critic could not but admire the cleanliness of the shed, and the entire absence of any foul odors calculated to do injury to the milk. The floor is of stone —as in nearly all the buildings—and is constantly kept well swept, Adjoining the milking shed is th.3 chaff cutting house, with horse works attached. Then there is the house, with a floor of I brick, all nicely ventilated, and as clean and sweet smelling as good sense and hard work can make it. In hero, too, as well as in the other buildings, the air is charmingly cool, Mr Douglas makes no cheese for saie, but confines his but-iness to the sale of butter, 'cream and milk, for which ho has a very largo de« maud in Ballarat. The dozen hauls that he has employed have the cows milked at 4 o'clock in the morning, and this milk is oarted into Ballarat for his customers. In the afternoon the cows aro iill milked again, and the milk this time is kept solely for cream and butter. The buildings are mostly covered with iron, with spouting all round, so that < there is always plenty of fine pure water. Mr Douglas has boen connected with dairying for over 30 years, and though at present his first-class cattle are of | various breeds, he intends to try a cross < between the Herefords and Ayrshires or Alderneys, believing that these cross breeds are superior to any other. The i proprietor of this model dairy farm is . undoubtedly of opinion that " cleanliness is next to godliness," and turn where you will it is a treat, indeed, to see that j neither labor nor e'penso has beeu spared in order that the farm shall be what it has beeu so aptly called—"The model dairy farm."—Ballarat Courier,