Australia, The Dairy Country Part 5

The cheese produced is very good in quality, and a considerable export trade will soon be developed in it.

Bacon-curing.

The production of hams and bacon is one of the collateral industries connected with dairying, as the skim-milk and waste products form a very valuable food for fattening pigs. Excellent bacon is produced in Tasmania, and a good deal is exported, but not nearly what might be produced.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Group of Prize Bulls.]

Dairy Factories.

It is the introduction of the dairy factory system that has solved the problem of success or failure for the dairy farmer. These inst.i.tutions are becoming fairly numerous throughout the State, and are all equipped with the most modern machinery and managed by expert men. The farmer nearly always, nowadays, has his cream separator, and all he has to take to the factory is the cream, which does not occupy much s.p.a.ce, while the skimmed milk remains on the farm for feeding pigs or calves. Some of the dairy factories in the State are proprietary, but others are on the co-operative system, under which the farmers are the owners, and share in the general profits, as well as being paid for their cream.

McCARRON, BIRD & CO., Printers, 479 Collins Street, Melbourne.

[Footnote A: The personnel of the Commission was as follows:--Sir T.

Carlaw Martin, Edinburgh (Chairman); Sir John R. G. Sinclair, Bart., Barrock House, Wick (Vice Chairman); Dr. J. H. Wilson, F.R.S.E., St.

Andrew's University; Dr. Shirra Gibb Boon, Lauder; William Barber, M.A., Tererran, Moniaive; J. McHutchen Dobbie, Campend, Dalkeith; James Dunlop, Kilmarnock; R. B. Greig, F.R.S.E., Cults; William Henderson, Lawton, Coupar-Angus; James Keith, Pitmeddan, Udny; E. E. Morrison, M.A., Bonnington, Siravithie; and Alex. M. Prain, Errol (Secretary).]