It has been frequently stated that clay-lands predominate in England; and perhaps it is quite as well for British agriculture, as, page 78 unless they are unusually stiff and almost unworkable, they are generally able to produce larger crops than soils of a lighter character, Clays, however, do not predominate in the chief dairy-districts to which reference is made in this report. The County of" Somerset is, as regards acreage and the number of dairy-cattle it owns, the most important dairy-county in Groat Britain. There were in Somerset in 1887 110,000 cows and heifers, in milk and in calf. The county is hilly, although the hills do not reach a higher elevation than from 700ft. to 800ft. The cattle are chiefly Devons, bred for milking purposes, and not of the feeding-type exhibited at such large meeting as Smithfield and Birmingham. They graze principally in the marshes and valleys lying between the hills, which are chiefly upon the new red sandstone, although in some instances the magnesia limestone is found rising to the surface.

Cheshire is the next in importance as a dairy-county. The cultivated portion of Cheshire is chiefly composed of a sandy or clayey loam, but there is a range of high lands which are composed of sandstone. The climate, like that of Somerset, is moist: the meadows, especially those near the rivers, are often flooded, and drought seldom lasts for any length of time. About two-thuds of the cultivated land in the county is above mediocrity in quality. The arable land is much smaller in extent than the pasture, in which the poa and fescue grasses are very prominent. The drainage upon Cheshire farms is generally good.

Leicestershire may be taken as a typical dairy-county of the Midlands, this being the home of the Stilton-cheese industry. The formation is partly oolite and lias, but the principal part of the best grazing-land of the county rests upon the new red sandstone. Lei-cestershire, like Cheshire and Somerset, is chiefly composed of grass land.

Buckinghamshire is referred toon account of its fame as a butter producing county, although its reputation for butter is gradually decreasing, the principal part of the milk produced in the Vale Aylesbury being sent to the Anglo-Swiss milk-condensing factory.

Buckinghamshire is nearly half arable, the north and east divisions of the county being composed of poor and chalky soils. Good land is found upon clay, sandstone, and limestone respectively. The Vale is a particularly fertile grass country. The cattle are chiefly grade Shorthorns of a good type.

Ayrshire, a famous Scotch dairying-county, is very hilly, rising sometimes to nearly 2,000ft. The county forms a natural basin. Nearly half the acreage is clay, and about one-fifth of the county is a light sandy soil, and the remainder moorland. Distributed amongst this, however, are some fertile loams. The climate is a moist one.

Wigtonshire is one of the most important dairy-counties in the United Kingdom. It is hilly, but the climate is mild, and more than half the cultivated acreage is pasture. Although chiefly composed of moorland there is plenty of good loam.

Soils, Roots and Grasses.

The farmers of Great Britain are commencing to recognise that abundant pastures are not absolutely essential to successful dairying. In arable districts, where grass forms but a small percentage of the acreage, milk is in many instances produced to a much larger extent than formerly, and butter and cheese are being made with the assistance of artificial grasses, which are laid down for short periods only. I believe it can be shown—and I append the copies of two papers which I have prepared upon the subject, one contributed to the "Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society," and the ether read before the Conference of the British Dairy-farmers' Association at their Norwich meeting in May, 1888—that milk can be reduced more extensively and more cheaply with the aid of arable cultivation than solely by means of pasture or meadow-land. The question, however, as regards the Colony of New Zealand does not bear upon arable cultivation, except in an inferior degree. The comparative extent and cheapness of grass-land, together with the greater cost of labour, present the whole subject under an aspect at page 80 once more economical and more concise than it can ever be regarded by the British farmer. There may, however, be instances in which arable cultivation is necessary, especially upon soils of a light nature. In such cases it will be worth the while of the farmer to consider whether crops suitable for dairy-cattle should not be grown. He has a number from which to select, and among these are some oil the highest possible value as milk-producing foods. The mangel, for example, is always worthy of consideration in a climate similar to that of the southern portion of Great Britain. It is a food essentially adapted for cattle, producing the sweetest of butter, and it is always of great value towards the end of the winter, when other succulent foods are either scarce or altogether absent. The turnip, which is grown more extensively and more successfully in the north of England, and which, on account of its large yield and succulent character, is widely used for cattle, cannot be so strongly recommended, imparting as it sometimes does when it is liberally used a pronounced flavour to butter which depreciates its quality and character. Carrots, although little used in England for milking-cows, are extensively used in the butter-producing districts of Normandy, especially on the lighter soils, where the yield it large, the results obtained being very considerable. The parsnip, another admirable milk-producing food, is very highly prized by the Jersey farmers, who glow them upon land for which they pay from £7 to £10 an acre in rent. Potatoes are also used in many districts for cows, and are either steamed or pulped; being much richer in feeding-matter than either the turnip or the mangel, a much smaller quantity is necessary. Of gorse, or furze, I am unable to speak from experience. It has been strongly recommended by practical men in Ireland, where it is cut in its young state, and bruised by passing through a masticator. Lucerne may be strongly recommended; it may be seeded down with a grass-crop, upon a deep stiff loam containing lime. Two heavy crops may be cut during the first year after sowing, and four crops the second year. Being very bulky, lucerne probably yields twice as much food as meadow-or pasture-grasses, and, what is perhaps of greater importance, it produces that food during drought, when almost every other crop fails. There is no plant with which I am acquainted which can be grown more profitably upon deep soils that have been drained, that are dry and contain lime, and that are situated in districts where the climate is similar to that of the south of England. The roots of lucerne penetrate to a great depth, and the crop itself is of special feeding-value, the plant remaining upon the soil in a profitable condition for several years. Almost as much can be said for sainfoin, which requires a soil containing still more lime than lucerne. This plant provides at least two heavy crops yearly for three or four years when it is grown upon a suitable soil, and is under good cultivation and I have found it to be a first-rate milk-producer. Both plants are suitable for mixing with ordinary grass-seeds for laying down page 81 meadows, although they will not remain many years. The ryegrasses are also considered of great value to dairy-husbandry; the Italian rye-grass, although only a temporary grass, will grow upon almost any kind of soil, especially if it is humid and rich, and it may be sown alone, or with other grasses, providing a cut in the first year under suitable conditions. Perennial rye-grass, however, is generally found superior to Italian, especially upon heavy-clay land, although it thrives upon almost any soils which are not water-logged, excepting it be sand or gravel. It provides an abundance of rich herbage, it is greatly appreciated by cows, and is one of the heaviest croppers among known grasses. There have been differences of opinion among experts in England in the past, but there is little doubt that farmers prefer rye-grass to almost any other variety, remembering, as they do, its hardy nature, its heavy-cropping properties, and its rich-feeding value. Among the remaining leading meadow-or pasture-grasses are timothy, or cat's-tail, which grows freely upon almost all soils, except sand or gravel, and which is a heavy and hardy cropper, suitable alike for temporary and permanent cultivation. This is one of the most popular of known grasses, and the seed is especially cheap; if, however, it is too often sown it has a tendency to die out. Cocksfoot grass, again, is popular as a meadow-grass, especially when grown upon moist stiff soils. Like timothy, it arrives at its full growth during its second year. Its habit being bunchy, it is not so suitable for growing alone. This is one of the best varieties for growing under trees. Among the remainder of the grasses suitable for dairy-cattle are foxtail, which is an early grass, producing an abundant second crop upon rich heavy well-drained soils; and meadow-fescue, which is also a good cropper, upon deep moist soils, providing late herbage and good hay. Of the clovers suitable for meadows or pastures the perennial red, or cow-grass, and alsike are strongly recommended. It should be remembered that there is a great distinction, which is not generally recognised to its full, between the meadow and the pasture; and, although in some parts of New Zealand—where, I understand, I the cattle are able to graze throughout the entire year—it may not be of immediate practical importance, yet where farmers are in the habit of laying down new grass-lands it is worth bearing in mind. As the meadow is usually intended for the provision of a crop of hay, It is essential that the grasses of which it consists should as nearly as possible be selected from among those varieties which mature at one time. In the pastures, however, it is essential to success that there should be a good herbage throughout the year. In this case, therefore, grasses should be sown that vary as widely as possible in the period in which they ripen.

Ensilage.—Maize.

The question of silage as a food for stock in New Zealand is one which may not, perhaps, be of great importance; but, arguing from page 82 the value which many farmers attach to ensilage-making in England, and in such districts in France as Touraine—where I have had the advantage of seeing the system as conducted by some of the most famous Frenchmen, among whom were M. Goffart, who is practically the father of the European system; by M. Lecouteux, the famous0 Professor of Rural Economy at the Paris Institute; and M. Cottu,! the French gold medallist—I believe that in those districts of the colony where the winter is most severe ensilage will be found of the greatest value in the production of milk. I should hesitate to refer to this subject did my experience not enable me to pass an opinion upon it.

I have also seen this ensilage-system conducted with great success in connection with dairying in Holland, and I had the advantage of acting as one of the judges for the Royal Agricultural Society of England in awarding the valuable prizes which were offered in 1886 for the best silo and the best silage-stack in England and Wales. These awards were made after inspections extending over a number of weeks. I annex a copy of the judges' report, which will be found of interest to those who are desirous of studying the experience of those practical men who competed for the prizes. I have also acted as judge for the Ensilage Society at their Smithfield competition and have succeeded in making sweet silage for my own stock. I believe that silage which has been made from good grass, clover, or vetches to be especially valuable for dairy-cattle, when it is what is termed "sweet," in which condition it is as fragrant as hay. Whether or not sour silage is detrimental as a food for milk-production has not, I believe, yet been absolutely determined, but it is certain that its odour is absorbed by milk, and that therefore it is objectionable on this account. Maize-silage, for example, is unfit for milk-production in this condition, the large proportion of water contains causing it to be most difficult to preserve; but as a grew food, if I may judge from a short experience of four years, in each of which I have grown a small acreage for my own cattle, I believe it to be one of the best milk-producing foods, not only promoting a large yield, but exceptionally sweet butter.

Dry Foods.

A few remarks may be necessary with reference to the selection of artificial or dry foods suitable for dairy-cattle and milk-production. It is quite possible that the majority of the New Zealand farmers have not yet found it necessary to use any other foods than those they grow; hut as the dairy-system extends, as cattle of a higher class are introduced, and as greater efforts are made to obtain larger yields of milk, or milk of higher quality, there will in all probability be farmers who will from time to time adopt either British or American ideas, and prepare their rations accordingly. In some parts of England there are farmers who use nothing but hay during the winter, although hay is perhaps the dearest of all foods in this page 83 country; in other districts there are practical men who use none, their rations consisting chiefly of straw-chaff, roots, cake, and meal mixed together, in some instances with grains obtained fresh from the brewery or preserved in pits made for the purpose. In Holland, where hay is unusually cheap, some of the more intelligent farmers lave introduced rape-cake with beneficial results. In France I have seen similarly small farmers use cakes made from chestnuts and [from pumpkin-seed.

Without, however, making any special recommendation to the farmers of the colony to use the foods common in Great Britain—which they would probably be unwise to do, where, from the abundance of grass, such foods are unnecessary—I will simply mention pose which are of chief importance, and which not only have an influence upon milk-production, but, from their manurial value, upon the growth of the grass itself, supposing the cattle to be fed upon it while they are consuming artificial food, or their manure distributed over it when, as is common in England, they are housed in winter, For milk-production perhaps decorticated cotton-seed cake and meal stand at the head, on account of their low price and their high manurial properties. The price may be put roundly at £6 10s. a ton, while linseed cake, also highly prized, costs £1 more. Linseed itself, which much appreciated by milk-producers, is also used with great advantage, especially when it is steamed in water and the resulting oily mass mixed with chaff, roots, and meal. Linseed costs about £2 8s the quarter of eight bushels; bran, costing £5 a ton, is also extensively used; oats, upon which many farmers place great reliance, as they are one of the best milk-producing foods, are by many practical men considered to be the reverse of economical when they cost 18s. to £1 per quarter; while peas and beans ground into meal He highly appreciated and extensively used by those who produce milk for the London market as well as for butter-making. Maize-meal is favoured in the north of England, especially when maize costs from £1 to £1 3s. per quarter, while brewers' grains are extensively purchased in almost all districts; and so far as I have been able to ascertain from actual experience they have no ill effect upon the favour or character of the butter. Among French farmers, how-ever, I have found a deeply-seated dislike to both grains and distillery-refuse in cheese-making districts, and the same antipathy is quite as strong as to the use of barley-meal. I add the following rations, some of which are examples of those adopted on English dairy-farms. The first is that quoted by Mr. Dudley Miller, an American Seeder of Dutch cattle, showing the food given to a very famous cow which yielded an unprecedented quantity of milk in a single year. This ration consisted of (per day)—

Cut potatoes	60
Timothy hay	15
Maize-stalks	2

page 84

	Lb.	oz.
Wheat-bran	13	2
Blatchford's meal	3
Torley's tonic-meal	6
Salts	6
Water	115
Water in mash	56
Ground oats	13	2

(Grass during the day.)

In the two latter instances the dry matter varied from 20lb. to 21lb., the flesh-forming and heat-and-fat-forming matters being properly balanced. In many instances English farmers give as much as 56lb. of mangels daily, in others as much as 25lb. of hay; but the best feeders, as a rule, make it a practice to give liberal quantities of cake, bran, or meal. Good grass is food which is well balanced by nature, not only for the sustenance of cattle, but for the economical provision of milk. There are probably no other foods which are so well page 85 balanced. Experiments which have been conducted by chemists in England, Germany, and America have demonstrated that a ration, to be economical, should contain a certain proportion of those constituents of food which provide for the heat of the body as well as its maintenance, and for the manufacture of the milk or the meat which it is necessary to produce to obtain a profit. These constituents, which are all found in grass in their required proportions, may be provided by the mixture of such foods as have already been, named in their proper ratio, chemical data being supplied in order to show how each is composed. Perhaps the ablest discussion of this scientific and yet really practical system of feeding is that written by F.J. Lloyd, F.C.S., the Consulting Chemist to the British Dairy-farmers' Association, in the "Live Stock Journal Almanack" of Christmas, 1886, and since extended in the new edition of Mr. I James Macdonald's "Stephen's Book of the Farm."