DAIRYING ON SHARES.

New Zealand Mail, 15 February 1900, Page 5

DAIRYING ON SHARES.

HOW T THEY WORK THE SYSTEM IN VICTORIA.

The working of dairy farms on shares has been proved to be a most successful method of working the business, iu Victoria especially. Large owners of land have there found that--the system is pax eminently satisfactory one, and it is consequently being carried on at the present time to the advantage of all parties concerned. The Melbourne Leader” recently gave a. description of a farm worked on the share system, and the description in question may prove instructive to New Zealand dairymen. The Victorian farm is owned by Mr J W. Anderson, of Tower Hill, who has an agreement with his tenants which provides that all produce is the property of the owner of the land, who conducts the marketing, and pays one-third of the amount to the dairy farmer, retaining two-thirds fox- himself. Monthly settlements are made, and account- sales xnd cheques rendered according to a bill of paiticulars, of which the following is an example:

HO’V THE SYSTEM WORKS. The nxilk is conveyed by the shares farmer to the Tower Hill Butter Factory, which is close to the estate. The agreement further provides for the cultivation of onc-third of the land on each iarm oy the shares occupier, and a thorough system of cultivation is insisted upon. Root and grain crops are grown lor three years in succession, and then tne land is laid down in pasture; rye grass being the basis of .the seed m.xture. Tlie root crops grown consist chiefly of mangels, potatoes, and onions, with barley and oats as t-he principal cereals. Phenomenal yields iecorded as having been obtained, in exceptional ea_ses reaching to 20 tons of potatoes and 70 bushels or barlev to 'n . aere respectively. In the purchase ’of seet; pigs, etc., the proprietor pays two-t-lurds or the cost- and retains two-thirds ot the proceeds. The shares men fre.quentiy co-operate among themselves when any special work has to be done on the farms, such as harvesting, and a lea-dy spirit of assisting each other is displayed generally. The agreement entered into between them and 1 'Mr Anderson is terminable by a month’s notice on either side, while any dispute is reicrrable to arbitration. The relataons between the proprietor of Tower .mu rank and his shares partners, however, Lave been so amicable that no disputes cor dismissals; have yet occurred. As bo how the system works out- for bot-n parties, the following example of s work on the farm occupied by Mr Denis Foley and family is selected h oin the books kept by Mr Anderson :

December, 1898 ’ n To butter, a-db at 03 £ ~8 d „ Pollard, ll begs, at 7s Id. eoual £317s lid, one-third .. ’ 1 5 0 6 0 17 „ Firewood, 6 tons. 1b i, Binding 17 acres bdi-lev. Is „ Binoiag twine, SI balls, at 2s Gd, £3 * one-third .. ’ n Balance by obeque .. \\ 34 13 G Bj mi’k, 5116 gal . 4 lest, at 7id, £70 in s equal one-lh id .. ' ” »* *1J6S. £20 lbs 3d, equal one-third ,. Pigs, ill 13s Cd, equal or.e-thhd „ Calves, 10 at 5s .. .. " 4 15 0 £39 3 5

Dents Foley’s farm, 191 Totil Return Milk .. 784 17 10 . Grain .. 93 6 9' , Pr.totoes .. 80 19 3 , Piss .. 120 10 3 . Caines .. 24 0 0 . acres, carrying 100 cows. The Owner’s D Foley’s Share. 8hare. . 522 18 7 .. 281 9 3 . 6J 4 ft ,, 31 2 3 • 53 19 6 .; 26 19 9 - 80 6 10 .. 40 3 5 . 1G a 0 .. 8 0 0 £ 1.103 4 1 £735 9 5 .£367 14 8