Auckland Institute. 417 



It will be interesting to see the intrinsic value of these fertilisers. The 

 weight of nitrogen as ammonia from both the wool and wheat is 8,000 tons, 

 and this, calculated at a basis of £15 per ton for sulphate of ammonia, is 

 equal to about £400,000. 



The weight of potash from both the wool and wheat is 1,920 tons, 

 which, calculated at the English market rate, comes to £57,000. 



The phosphoric acid in the wheat is equal to 5,000 tons of bones, 

 which, at £7 per ton, brings the value to £35,000. 



These results, it must be remembered, are for one year. 



It was this consideration which led me to urge that care should be 

 shown in attending to the plant food, while considering the pastures of the 

 sheep. 



In the near future we shall be more forcibly brought to face these 

 losses, as undoubtedly we shall export large quantities of meat, some pre- 

 served and some fresh. In the former case the loss will be large, but in the 

 latter it will be much greater ; as in the former we shall, at all events, 

 retain the bone to be returned to the land, but in the latter case it will be 

 nearly all loss. Unfortunately, the agriculturist has but little of the effete 

 matter returned to his soil from the actual material withdrawn. The utili- 

 sation of the waste matter of our towns is still an unsolved problem, and he 

 who can bring this to a satisfactory issue will indeed deserve the thanks of 

 his fellow men. 



While we are reviewing the export of cereals, it will be wise to consider 

 for a moment the immense return from our lands over those of the adjoin- 

 ing colonies. Choosing wheat for the purpose of comparison, though oats, 

 barley, hay, and potatoes show the same excess, and taking the average of 

 ten years from 1873 to 1883, we find the bushels per acre as follows : — New 

 South Wales, 14-92 ; Victoria, 12-38 ; South Australia, 7 - 9 ; Queensland, 

 12-5 ; West Australia, IV ; Tasmania, 18-23 ; New Zealand, 26 - 3 ; while 

 the average return for eighteen years in the United Kingdom was 26-5. 



To account for this excess in regard to this colony, we have either to 

 accept as a reason the exhaustion of the lands in the colonies named, or the 

 superior soil or more favourable climatic state of our own colony. On this 

 subject, and reviewing the same disproportionate returns, Mclvor gives his 

 opinion on the ground of our much greater humidity, and I have no hesita- 

 tion in arriving at the same conclusion. It is this constant humidity which 

 causes the more speedy disassociation of the minerals, and the more prolific 

 production of plant food. As we see in the oases of the deserts, it requires 

 only water to clothe the sterile plains with vegetation. We must not, how- 

 ever, too heavily discount this most favourable state, or the loss will be 

 greater than we anticipate. As I have already stated, our agricultural 

 wealth is by far the greatest, and it should be our constant endeavour to still 

 further enhance it. The choice of the most luxurious and enriching foods 

 will yield us the greatest returns of butter and cheese from a given number 

 of cattle, and the improvement of this stock alone will fully repay all our 

 care and attention. Consideration should also be given to the cultivation of 

 fibre-producing plants, as these may be sown and won by machine labour, 

 and be sure of a never failing market. 



I cannot leave the subject of agriculture without saying a few words on 

 the sugar-beet. As you are aware, I have gone very fully into the examina- 

 tion of roots grown in this district, and find in regard to the amount of 

 sugar contained in them, that they compare most favourably with the 

 results obtained in Germany, and this, when grown with but a tithe of the 

 care required in that country. Chemistry, again, has come to our aid, and 

 shown that the sugar may be extracted in a much more expeditious and 

 cheaper manner than heretofore, especially by the beautiful method of 

 Scheibler and Lamont in the improved strontia process, and as each year 

 passes, these improvements are becoming more practically available. At the 

 same time, the Government of this colony have encouraged the establish- 

 ment of this industry by large bonuses and protective duties, which should 



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