AUSTRALIAN HORTICULTURAL AND

Colonist, Issue 71, 25 June 1858, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN HORTICULTURAL AND

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The annual dinner of this Society took place on the 27th May, in the ILill of the School of Arts at Sydney. The speech of the evening, in relation to agricultural affairs,, was that of the Governor-General, and this we give in full, as reported by the Empire. After the loyal and customary toasts— ■■••'.•. '~ . The' President of the Society (the GovernorGeneral) rose and- said, he had now to propose " Prosperity to the S oiety," and he wished that they would excuse him if.he went at some little length into the subject of his toast. When he proposed the prosperity of .this society they must recollect that in it; the prosperity of society, the prosperity of this country, the prosperity of the agricultural, the pastoral, ami the commercial interests were involved—all were identified in the prosperity and advancement of agriculture. (Cheers.) they would allow him to say a few words as to the progress and objects of this society. It was known, probably, to most of those present, that this society was constituted by amalgamation of two other societies: of an analogous character, which were created for one common object. To get rid of the difficulties in the way of agriculture was one of the first objects the society proposed for itself. This they conceived could be best done by the institution of a model farm in a central part of the country, where all could see what was about to be done, where all could benefit by the improvements which were there to be carried out by the society. The society proposed to apply to the Government for a grant of land, and, secondly, for other grants of money. .In farming, as they all knew, they required farm buildings, and for the erection, of these capital was required. In ordinary cases the landlord found that capital and" erected the buildings, and'gets his interest on that capital in the. shape of rent; that was to say, that the farowr, after buying stock, implements, material, &c, only earned sufficient to pay his way until he got his crops. He had no doubt that they had all seen the plan and estimates of the building it was proposed to erect, the papers having been distributed about the table. The land they proposed to farm was' sufficiently large for present purposes, extending over 2, r>o acres, situate at Parramatta. The sum.of £11,000 would be required to construct a farm of this size and kind. He did not think the society could raise this sum, but looking at the..effect that the operation of the-society and the establishing of sucha farm would have upon all the great and permanent interests of the colony, he throiight it, was but fair and reasonable that they should follow the example here set by the colony of" Victoria, and which was carried out in the United State's of America, by calling upon the Government to &id the society to a certain extent. The understanding was, that they should apply to the Government to make the building, aud so constitute itself as it were landlord, receiving from the orcupants of -the farm rent, or interest oh the capital they laid out.' By a scheme of this kind the Government would always hold in its hands a check which would form a sufficient guarantee that the farm was not appropriated to improper purposes, and that the annual grants were properly and advantageously expended. He trusted that tlley would in this way be able to carry out the institution of a model farm; but he thought under any other circumstances, the attempt would be hopeless. He thought they could not raise sufficient to erect the buildings themselves, though he believed that they would have but little difficulty in raising sufficient to carry out all that a tenant ought to be Expected to do; Now what were the objects with which they proposed to establish this farm ? They wished to shew the people of this colony that which had been proved practically to the people of England, that a fair amount of money spent on land brought a fair and ample r«turn if proper economy were observed, and that they might

here at least be able, as it were, to undersell their neighbors by giowing tlieir wheat under circumstances so profitable or advantageous fo themselves that it would "render it not worth the while of other countries to send their produce to this market. (Cheer*.)" This, he had no doubt, they could do; the experience of South Australia clearly proved it. They could there grow their wheat at.the rate of 4s. 6d. afbushel; that lefr. them a fair profit; for if a man could raise 30 bushels of wheat to an acre, they said he had not a right to say his agriculture did not pay him ; and.if he found he could" only raise 15 bushel* to the acre, then let him do hi 3 duty by the'land, und the land would do its duty by him. They all knew that if he were continually putting his hand into his pocket for the purpose of trying different plans for the improvement of. his land, his pocket would become empty. He thought that in this model farm, one of the principal experiments they' would-make would bo the-application of different manures, and they would be able at this farm to manure in the Best possible manner, and he-had no doubt that the experiments of this class would be found of the utmost importance. He had heard it remarked thatin England these model farms had not succeeded ; bur that was not any argutnent against their success' here The circumstances of the two countries were entirely different. (Cheers.) They hadi reasen to expect, that success would attend" them, if it did not the people in Knglandl There a model farm was nothing;.there were hundreds of them ail over the country; every member of an agricultural society in England,; every agriculturist to a large extent, who had sufficient wealth, carried on experiments and had his own model farm. These experiments would here'be-carried on by thi3 society,. and these experiments v were essentially wanted in this colony. In England, also, there were hundreds of manufacturers of agricultural implements, who were thrusting forth new inventions every day.. This colony was obliged to go to England and America for its agricultural implements, and take their word for their utility, the people here knowing little or nothing of their application. But even supposing they were fully acquainted with the operation of the machine in the country for which it was adapted and where it was made, it was scarcely likely small farmers would go to the expense of importing these implements on the-chance of their turning out useless when they got them. Having a model farm, and. having there shewn the economy of various machines, agriculturists would be put in possession .of valuable information. A machine that succeeded admirably in England 6r America would not always do: here. In America the timber was of a light character, and their tools were constructed of a slight material, which fitted them for the work they had there to do; but they were useless with the hard soil and gum-tree roots of this colony. This was another of the many advantages to arise by the establishment of such an institution as this to .the cause of agriculture and to society at large. No man could fail to see the advantages of such an: institution as this. Although the model farm may not pay, and he did.Hot say that they expected that it would pay, sufficient would be derived from it to defray the cost of working it, and they would be enabled to make many valuable experiments which would be of great importance to the country at large. They would be able to introduce such '.machines, as would be produc^ive'J in the course of:'a. few years, of enormous benefit, to the colony; at" large., (Cheers.) He did not know that he need? say much more. For himself, he looked forward most hopefully to the results of the establishment of this model farm, if they were supported sufficiently; without something of this kind, he must confess he did not see his way. ■ He did not say at once they could contribute much to the benefit of agriculture; all they could do for the present was to award prizes to importers of stack.and machinery; but the giving of a prize to an importer of a machine, whatever it might be, did not effect any improvement in the country itself. A machine might answer for a mere trial,, but what they wanted a farm for was .that they might have these implements at work regularly, day after day. That was the only way to ascertain whether they were practically useful and suitable to the .country, or whether, they were like'y to break down. He trusted, therefore, that they would second the efforts of the society •—would aid it'in doing that which' would promote not only the agricultural interest, but also the pastoral, the commercial, and all other interests of the colony" - Helving oil their support, he begged to propose " The Prosperity of the Society." (Cheers.) ~