THE DAIRY CONFERENCE IN ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12027, 25 July 1902, Page 7

THE DAIRY CONFERENCE IN ENGLAND.

[BY OUR: ENGLISH AGBICTTMURAL CORRES- • i': PONDENT.] .. ' , " Oxford, June 6. The seventeenth annual conference and excursions of the British Dairy Farmers' Association began at Reading on Monday night, June 2, when the Mayor and Mayoress of the town gave a reception. The Mayor and

Mr. W. Berkeley. Monck, president ' of the British Dairy Institute at Reading, delivered

addresses of welcome on behalf of the town

and the institute. ■ The proceedings were enlivened by the strains of the famous Blue

Hungarian Band. Thus a most kind and hospitable reception was given to the visitors, about 135 in number, apart from local persons who joined the party.

THE BRITISH DAIRY INSTITUTE. The first proceeding on Tuesday was a visit to the British Dairy Institute, which is associated with the Agricultural Department of Reading College, though under the independent management of the British Dairy Farmers' Association. No attempt was made at a show day." The ordinary work was carried on in a business-like manner, as if no visitors were present. The buildings and appointments are excellent, and so is the instruction, practical and theoretical. The making of butter and various kinds of cheese was in progress. Some details of the teaching and the number of students will be found in the paper sent herewith. THE FIRST CONFERENCE. The first meeting was held, after the visit to the institute, in the hall of Reading College, when the Earl of Warwick, president of the British Dairy Farmers' Association, took the chair, supported by Mr. Hanbury, the Minister of Agriculture, and others. After a. brief introductory address by the chairman Mr. Miles Benson, chief instructor of the institute, read a paper (sent herewith) on "Practical Education in Dairying, and Work at the British Dairy Institute." This was immediately followed by a paper on "Theoretical Instruction in Dairying,"_ by Sir. D. A. Gilchrist, director of the Agricultural Department of Reading College, also sent herewith.

The discussion was opened by Professor Carroll, late chief of the Glasnevin Institute, near Dublin, who moved a vote of thanks to the authors of the two papers. He al.ludod to the importance of a training in the elements of science related to dairying, before a special course of dairy instruction is begun. At the Dairy Institute, he said, his experience as an examiner has -convinced him of the excellence of the system under which science and practice were connected in the training of the students. Professor Wrighton, of the Downton Collego of Agriculture; and others having spoken, without bringing out any points of consequence, Mr. Hanbury, tho Minister of Agrionlture. addressed the meeting. His speech, though pleasing to his audience, was not of a oharacter calculated to interest colonial readers. He expressed his interest in dairy education and his anxiety to bring it home to the rank and file of farmers; alluded to efforts being made by him to induce the Board of Trade to take action in reference to railway rates; and urged farmers to treat the Board as a friend, and not to hesi-

tate to communicate dircctb' with that body. At the luncheon which followed he dwelt upon the necessity of securing fair competition to British and Irish producers in respect of rail rates and purity of produce alike.

A DAIRY AND POULTRY FARM.

. ; After luncheon the party proceeded by special train to Ascot, ana thence by road to Winkfield, to see Mr. Walter Palmer's dairy and poultry farm. In reality it is only a dairy farm, because it is desirable to keep cows with poultry. The cows are a mixed lot of South Devons, Shorthorns, and Jerseys, and they were not formally shown to us, though they were to be seen dotted about the pastures. The poultry are the principal feature of the farm, three to four thousand being reared and fattened there annually. The principal breed kept is the Buff Orpington, but with many of the hens Brown Leghorn or Indian Game cocks are kept. Mr. Palmer considers that crossing the Buff Orpington with the Brown Leghorn improves the laying propensity without injuring the table quality. As for the Indian Game and Buff Orpington cross it is well known to be an excellent one for table purposes. At the present time there are about two thousand young chickens on the farm. ' The system of feeding them is uncommon, insomuch as no soft food is given to the chickens for the first week after hatching. ■ * They are"* ed entirely upon buckwheat and dan. After the first

week i* • they get a stiff meal composed;_ of ground oats and sharps, moistened with water in. the morning, boiled corn at noon, and wheat or barley, buckwheat, and dari in the evening. '■ Four j incubators are used at certain seasons of the year, but nearly all the chickens now on the farm were hatched under hens. When the chickens are three months old they are crammed for ten days or a day or so less, and sold, weighing then about 21b after being plucked; drawn, and trussed. The district is an important residential one, and Mr. Palmer readily disposes of all his chickens and spare eggs to consumers. He is now making 4s each of fat chickens, and he sells eggs at lid to l£d each all the year round. The cramming food is a mixture of ground oats, sharps (fine pollard), and separated milk. V In the evening the visitors were entertained at dinner by Mr. W. Berkeley Monck, chairman of the committee of ; the British Dairy Institute, after which the Minister of Agriculture again spoke. '.'■ A FAMOUS JERSEY HERD.

On Wednesday we proceeded by steamboat up tflo-dPliames to Goring, and thence by road to Buckhold, Pangbourne, to inspect Dr.. Watney's noted herd; of Jersey cattle. Now, Dr. Watney is a man who keeps Jerseys,' not for what they look like, but for ■what they can do. He competes at shows only in butter ..tests, in which he is always more or less successful, and generally very much so. If a cow does not give enough milk or butter to satisfy him she _ has to go. But he feeds liberally, and thus give his animals every chance. They are a very handsome lot, with wonderful uddersnot of the extra sleek and band-boxy type, but yet just what robust and healthy Jerseys should be. His • herd,, young and old, numbers eighty, and there are thirty-three in milk. One of them won the gold medal as the best Jersey in the butter test at the Bath and West of England Show last week, and most of them have won similar honours. Every cow that Dr. Watney keeps has been bred on his home farm of 600 acre 3, and it is the same with his bulls. When he wants fresh blood he buys in-calf cows. He does not breed in-and-in. but mates his animals so as to mix different families. The two bulls now in service are Marietti's Guenon and Lord Guenon, bred from butter-test winning cows. The cows are now out at grass night and day, getting 21b each per day of dairy cake. In winter they are fed on cabbages, hay, ground oats', and dairy cake. Now for their performances, certified by chartered accountants, who have attended at the monthly tests, by the chemical system, and examined the daily records of actual yield. Tho actual results in butter, it may be mentioned, are about 1 per cent, above the indications of the chemical test showing butter-fat in the milk. Last year the highest result was 5501b of butter, the produce - c Red Maple. Three cows produced over 5001b of butter in the year, and twelve over 4001b. The average for 32 cows was 3981b a Jioad, and in all averages the time during which cows are dry, six weeks in the year, is covered. The average milk per cow was a little over 600 gallons for annum. In tho previous year Lavanii gave 5691b of butter, and the average of 38' cows was 3761b. In 1899 Maryatt's Lass gave 5441b, and 32 cows averaged 3981b. These are wonderful performances. Dr. Watney also breeds Exmoor ponies, of which he has a strong stud. The rest of the day, after Dr. Watney a farm was left, was devoted to a pleasurable method of travelling to Oxford, by the beautiful Thamoß, stopping on the way to see Nuneham Park. /. •

CONFERENCE AT OXFORD. Yesterday many members of the party were unable to resist the temptation to visit some of the Oxford colleges, even- at the risk of being late for the conference, at which a paper on "The Marketing of Dairy Produce," written by the Countess of Warwick, was to have been read. The countess was not well enough to be present, and, greatly to the surprise of the party, she .failed, to semi any paper. Instead she induced Miss La Mothe assistant lady warden and instructress in dairying at the Lady Warwick Hostel, Reading (an institution founded to give instruction in dairy work, horticulture, and poultry-keeping), to take her place. lnis young lady gave an address from a, tew notes, but there is no printed paper to be sent. Miss La Mothe said she would only offer a few suggestions My way of opening the disoussion. . With respect to milk, her suggestions were hardly practicable, as she I proposed to meet the difficulty of keeping milk always up to the standard of J per cent, of fat, that the wide'difference of .periods between the two daily niilkings should bo reduced; also that the Erst portion of. the mi k drawn from the ', cows in the morninga little-should be kept back for home use, in order that tho rest, sent to.market, might be less poor than the morning milk often is. As to butter, she urped, the -necessity of cooperation, in order i that large Quantities ox

uniform quality might bo supplied. As to cheese she dwelt chiefly upon the advantages of making some of the fancy soft cheeses that are now in public favour. . The address was ably delivered, but contained very ] little that was; new. Indeed, this may be said of all the papers and speeches at the conference. It is very difficult to find anything fresh to say about dairying. In the discission several speakers pointed out that the times of milking must be continued so as to suit the customers, who must have their morning's milk early, and their evening's supply before teatime. A good deal was said about the use # of preservatives in milk and cream, upon which a direct difference of opinion' was shown as usual. Mr. Lloyd, the society's chemist, insisted upon the necessity of some preservative for the pot cream trade, and upon the right of farmers to use it in milk sent long distances. But he would allow only boracio acid to be used as at least a comparatively harmless preservative. It had not been proved, he said, that boracic acid in small quantities was injurious. Other speakers spoke strongly against the use of any preservative in milk, as dangerous to infants and invalids, while nearly all agreed that it was essential for the cream trade, except in the case of Devonshire clotted cream.

The afternoon was devoted to a visit to the historic mansion and park of Blenheim, belonging to the Duke of Marlborough. The mansion, or palace, is a grand structure, and the noble and magnificently-wooded park is 25.00 acres in extent. Many interesting buildings and monuments are to be seen there. The home farm extends to 2000 acres. A herd of 30 choice Jerseys and 200 Polled Aberdeen Angus cattle for fattening, with a stud of Shire horses, a number of Hampshire sheep, and some Berkshire pigs are kept The Jersey herd was reduced in size by a sale held in September last, but fresh animals are now being bought in. Only the cows were inspected, nearly all the time being spent in viewing the beauties of the park and gardens.

THE LAST DAY OF THE CONFERENCE. The paper to be read at Buckingham today by Professor Long is sent herewith, but this letter ha 3 to be posted before to-day's proceedings have begun, and'these will bo notioed in a supplementary report to be sent by mail a week hence.