COLONIAL AGRICULTURE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2217, 4 April 1881, Page 3

COLONIAL AGRICULTURE.

Pursuant to notice, Mr Dow, the agricultural writer to the Melbourne "Leader,'' and who is at present on a visit of inspection to this colony, delivered a lecture in the Agricultural and Pastoral Association's rooms, on Saturday afternoon, his subject being " Farming in Australia and New Zealand." There was a very large attendance of gentlemen representing the agricultural and commercial interests, among those present being Messrs J. Studholme, M.H.E., Murray-Aynsley, W. Boag, Wm. Henderson (vioe-president of the association;, Norman, T. S. Bruce, T. Ashby, E. Brown, R. Sutherland, Gammaok, and Mcßeath.

Mr Henderson was elected to the chair, and introduced Mr Dow, whoso position and business he explained. Mr Dow spoke as follows : Mr Chairman and Gentlemen, I must confess at the outset that I am somewhat embarrassed by the name " lecture," which has, for want of a better word, been given to the remarks I intend to make. To have a talk about farming to those interested in the subject seems a simple enough matter, but to " lecture " appears to imply more, and lays the lecturor open in some measure to the suspicion of being presumptuous. I must blame the word, however, for I only intend to make a few remarks which my travels in the culonies have suggested, with the view of helping to keep certain important agricultural subjects under discussion. lam ull the more desirous of doing this, from the conviction I have that there is too little discussion about farming matters. All kinds of subjects are discussed on the platform, but agriculture is considered too dry to talk about. The great living American humorist has his laugh at farming when ho describes a man so sunk in melancholy that "even agriculture failed to interest him," and it must be admitted that the subject is too generally contidered void of matter for intellectual exercise. Springing out of this erroneous estimate of agriculture we find not only that subjects connected with it receive too little ventilation among farmers themselves, but Governments are all open to the charge of neglecting to give it that attention which its importance demands. Thus we have Ministers of Mines, Ministers of Publio Works, Ministers of Immigration, and various other Ministers, but in none of the Australasian colonies have we a Minister of Agriculture. The nearest approach to such an official is a Minister of Landß, whose funotion is to diepose of the publio estate without troubling himself about how the people are to be instructed cr assisted in turning the land to the best account. A closer union among farmers, a better attendance at farmers' society and club meetings, and more activity in the discussion of agricultural subjects,with a incro systematic organisation of the farmers' vote at elections are necessary, in order to place this important interost in its true position. There is ability enough among the farmers to do much in this direction. If those who have ideas on different branches of the subject would overcome the fear of that word

"lecture," and frequently give their neighbors the benefit of their experience, thought would soon embody itself in action, and agriculture would command its due rights. I feel it no small honor to have the privilege of giving an address under the auspices of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association. It was upon learning tbe importance of the Association, and the valuable ' work it is doing for farming in Keif Zealand that I felt a desire to do something in connection with it. From the records of its valuable journal any one must be impressed with the good which the association is accomplishing. It is liberally supported, and there is no doubt that it well desorves all the support it receives. The annual show is not only of great value as a means of improving the stock and productions of the district, but through the good management brought to bear upon it, is popular with the publio, which greatly increaoeß its educational effect. The " Stud Book," the "Herd Book," and the papers contributed to the journal, all play an important part in furthering the interests of agriculture in tho colony. I am sorry to say that there is no society in Victoria that can compare favorably with the one in Canterbury, and it is questionable whether it has its equal in any part of Australia. I do not wish to detract from the merits of the very estimable societies of Sydney and Singleton, but my impression is gathered from a Tisit about two years ago, that for all-round attention to agriculture and stock breeding, the Canterbury Association is ahead of the older societies referred to ; and if this is the case, Ohriatchurch may be congratulated upon possessing the best agricultural association in the Australasian colonies. There is another point whioh I may refer to in this connection, namely, the Canterbury Agricultural College, connected with the University. There is nothing in Australia to compare with the establishment under the directorship of Mr Ivey. It will be a grand institution. Although only a short time in existence it already places Canterbury in the first rank among the colonies in the work of agricultural education. In regard to farming in Australia, a few remarks upon that subject may be of interest, and will perhapß make New Zealand farmers better satisfied with their lot. Beginning with Victoria, the most important colony in many respects, and the one I know most about, it may be pointed out that the dividing mountain range, running east and west across the country, divides it into two districts, the north and the Bouth, differing widely in regard to climate and productions. Farming was first commenced in the south, around Melbourne and the large towns. The lands there are rich, the climate moderately moist, »nd prices were for many years high, the farmers being unable to supply the large demand. Several attempts were made to open up sufficient land for settlement, but owing to the power of the squatters who held the country under leases from the Crown, these land laws for a long time had only the iffect of forming large private estates, which were devoted to grazing. In 1869, however, an Act was passed authorising free selection, and under this Act the greater part of the northern division of the colony was takon up by the selectors, who now produce the bulk of the wheat yield of Victoria, When this Act oame in force the rich lands in the comparatively most southern districts had been secured by the squatters, and consequently the agricultural settlers had to go across the dividing range to the northern districts. Thousands of selectors settled upon these lands, and millions of acres were taken up, until a continuous belt of farms was established, extending from the north-east of the colony to the border of South Australia. This settlement is likely to be permanent in a certain sense. There will be very few large sheep runs formed, but as the holdings are too email—only 320 acres having been allowed to each selector —many of the weaker ones will sell to their neighbors, and holdings will bo formed of from 640 to 2000 acres in extent, upon which cultivation, combined with grazing, will be carried on. The lands in the southern farming districts having been severely cropped, were sown down in grasses, and dairying, horse, sheep, and cattle breeding were substituted in most cases for grain growing as the selecting movement set in, so that the bulk of the wheat is now produced in tho north. The climate is very dry in the northern district—tho rainfall varying in the different districts from 16in to 20in per annum, and the consequence is that the wheat crop ib almost the only one cultivated in these districts. The soil is exceedingly rich, being a strong clay of great depth, with a good admixture of lime, but owing to the scarcity of rain, not more than an average of i en bushels per acre can bo depended upon. The land costs less than £1 per acre, however, for a rental of 2s per acre is paid, the rent going towards the purchase money, and recently an Act has been pnsßed to reduce the rent to Is per acre. There is seldom any charing required, and by means of the Adelaide stripper the wheat can be put clenn into Hie bugs for 5s per acre. When, howevsr, it, ia considered that tho farms are from 150 to 250 reileß from the sea-board, and that from 5d to 8:1 per bushel huß to bo pcid for niNray freiehis, it will be seen that tho margin of profit is small. Many of the farmers who cultivate small allotments are in a very ttrugjjling way, but money is yet made by those who pu! in from 500 to 1000 acres, and work upon a good system. This system is undoubtedly 'J-n exhaustive one, but the land being rich and deep, and tho crops being lipht, continuous gruin growing will last much longer than most people imagine. The system adopted in South Australia is similar to that of the northern districts of Victoria, the climate being very much the same. In fact, the Bysfcm was introduced into Victoria by South Australians, who came over and i selected upon the northern areas. For a time Victorian farmers were prejudiced against

the stripper, but the merits of the maohine, '_ogether with the difficulty of paying for reaping and binding light oropß, are making the Adelaide system general throughout Northern Victoria, The chief advantage which South Australia holds as a wheat-growing colony is the nearness of its arable lands to the seaboard. The large gulfs which indent the coast cause very extensive areas to lie near the sea, and a railway system has been adopted whioh makes the most of these natural advantages. Instead of running long Hneß along the ooast to reach a small centre, short railways have been made, fifty or one hundred milos in length, from different ports to th<j agricultural districts. Owing to these circumstances South Australia, with an average yield of from sevon to nine bushels per aore, has been able to export wheat for many years, many of the farmers making large profit. A large area has to be cultivated, and when a bad year comes, such as the present has unfortunately boen, the consequences are very serious to the country. Now South Wales possesses a great variety of soils and climates, and should be capable of great agricultural development, but it has not an agricultural population. Grazing has become general, and we find that Sydney and Newcastle have generally been supplied with wheat from Melbourne and Adelaide. The rich wheat lands of the colony are at Bathurst, Orange, and other inland districts which have only within recent years been reached by railways, and the taste for agriculture has not yet become generally developed. Extensive areas in all parts of the country have been sold in large grazing runs, so that the State will have great difficulty in encouraging agricultural settlement should it at any future time wish to do so. The maize crop which is extensively cultivated on the Hawkesbury and Olarence river flats, the orange groves of Paramatta, and the sugar cane culture of the northern rivers, together with some very extensive and well-managed dairying operations on the south-east coast are the most interesting subjects connected with New South Wales. The other colonies I have not visited, nor do they call for any remarks on the present occasion.

Coming to Now Zealand, what I have to cay in favor of the oolony will have the advantage of being the opinions of one who is not a_ New Zealander but a Victorian, and one who is proud of being a Victorian. The impression made upon me during my more t'. an two months' tour in the colony is of the most favorable character. I am surprised at the productiveness of the soil, the high yields of grain, and the luxuriance of the artificial grasses and root crops. Your average of corn is double that of some parts of Australia and three times that of other parts. This alone would be an immense advantage, but the value of the root crops and artificial grasses is of even more importance. The system of farming adopted, like that of all new countries, is no doubt defective from a scientific point of view, but it is, on the whole, better and less exhaustive than that of Australia, the climate admitting of a better rotation and more frequent resting in pasture. We have seen how South Australia is benefitted by having its agricultural lands near the sea board. This is a point in regard t 3 which Now Zealand is fortunately situated. There is such an extensive coast line, that no part of the land is more than 100 miles from the sea. This, when farm produce is concerned, is an almost incalculable benefit. The wheat lands of America are from 1000 to 1500 miles inland, which more than counterbalances the shortness of the voyage across the Atlantic. With a greatly higher yield than America, ana almost double the average yield, the colony should not fear American competition, while in comparison with England, New Zealand has all the productiveness without the drawbacks of climate, involving the loss of harvests, and necessitating the expenditure of housing and attending to stock. No country in the world has so many natural advantages as New Zealand for becoming an exporter of farm produoe, and farming must in future be carried on with a view to an export trade. Action will be necessary, however, to take advantage of these favorable circumstanoes. The State must run the railways in a manner to develop agriculture. If a high rate of freight is charged on farm produce, it will not be grown, and the railways will not pay ; but if the products of the soil are carried at a cheap rate, the farmers will have money to spend in employing the railways. If the lowest Australian or New Zealand rates were charged in Atnerioa, it would ocst from 3s 6d to 5s per bushel to carry wheat from Chicago to New York ; but the lines are worked upon business principles, and wheat is carried over the 1100 miles, from Chicago to New York, for 3d per bushel. Our railways must carry farm produce at whatever rate the farmer can afford to give; and the sooner tje Governments of the colonies learn this lesson, the better for all concerned. The merchants, or middlemen, have a duty to perform also. They must be oontent with moderate commissions, and they should find the best markets for our produce Adelaide farmers have been getting from 2d to 3d per bushel more for their wheat this year than Melbourne farmers, owing, I believe, to the fact, that a longer experience in the exporting business has given superior knowledge to the South Australian shippers. Such is the importance of the duties which the mercantile class has to perform in regard to agriculture. The duties of the farmers tfcerrsolves are too numerous to mention, but I may refer to the dairying industry. It is necessary in order to establish an export trade in dairy produce that large quantities of butter and cheese of an even or equal sample should be available, and in order to meet this demand cheese and butter factories should be established. In the working of factories there is a great saving of labor, and, what is of greater importance, an even sample is produced. The climate of New Zealand is eminently suited for dairying, and being at the antipodes, our produce could be landed in England in the dear season. The freezing process will, no doubt, be a great benefit, through relieving the meat market, but if we establish factories and send fresh butter to England, it may in this way be a source of even greater wealth to the colonies. With rich soil, a genial climate, and other natural advantages, it only requires intelligent enterprise on the part of the people to make Now Zealand a great and prosperous country.

At the conclusion of the address, the chairman aßked whether any gentleman present desired to address any observation to the meeting on the subject of the lecture, and after a pause, Mr Bowron, wha explained that he wag a stranger in the town, made some remarks on the subjects of butter and cheese making for exportation. He Bsid he was qualified to speak on the subject, having been for a number of years in the business in England, where he dealt largely in the manufacture of cheese, and had since gained a large amount of information in many parts of the world, which he should always be happy to place at the disposal of any of those interested in the matter. Mr Bowron endorsed what Mr Dow had said as to the desirability of centralising the manufacture of cheese by means of factories. This, in fact, was the only sure method to secure sucoeßß. In this connection he expressed a fear that the present movement to export a quantity of cheese from the Peninsula as a trial shipment would prove a failure. The experience of America was a case in point. Their shipments of cheese to Great Britain were a failure until they discovered the advantages of the factory system. The secret of it was that instead of having so many different brands of butter from so many different dairies, any one of which might be bad, and thus prejudice the sale of others, the butter beirig manufactured, say, at one factory, would be sampled, and its value at once assured, in whatever decree, and the brand could be guaranteed all the same. This was the Becrtt of America's success, nnd he felt tolerably certain that in any 'itt.empt to open up an export trade in cheese here, the same course would have to be adopted to enable the manufacturers to cope with other countries. In conclusion Mr Bowron (whose speech was listened to with considerable interest) promised to place his ixperiencf at tho disposal of anyone who fcufjht for information on the'subject. Mr Bruce proposed a vote of thanks to Mr D.w for hi 3 valuable addresß on farming. Seconded by Mr Norman, and carried enthusiastically. Mr Dow briefly responded. This brought the proceedings to a close.