8 August. 1907.] Fifth Convention, Chamber of Agriculture. 479 



local exceptions admits of no doubt or dispute. Such a definite statement 

 is very different from what could only have been put forward cautiously 

 as the best working hypothesis half-a-dozen years ago. Third, the value 

 of animal manure — either obtained by grazing or as ordinary farm yard 

 manure — may now be explained in a way that was not possible a few years 

 ago. The surface soil is regarded no longer as being dead, but alive. 

 Millions of invisible microscopic plants are in every particle of it, and 

 are at work preparing food for next season's crop. Animal manure is the 

 great means of replenishing this legion of effective workers, and the turning 

 over of the surface soil bv cultivation reinvigorates their growth. Hence 

 you see the different effects of keeping sheep and cattle (so as to pass 

 much of each year's crop through the animals) as compared with trusting to 

 wheat growing alone with the usual annual burn off. These, gentlemen, 

 are fundamental problems, and our belief and confidence in them will 

 decide the general direction of farm practice. Phosphoric acid enables 

 us to start poor land on the up grade. Cultivation vastly increases the 

 amount of fodder that can be won from any given area of land. Live 

 stock transforms the produce into the most valuable form of soil fertility. 

 Thev complete the circle and enable us to explain why it is possible not 

 only to win a good living from the soil from year to year, but also to 

 leave the farm after a lifetime's work vastly richer than when we began. 



The Need of Educational Efforts. 



To place the rising generation of farmers in a position which will 

 enable them to have clear ideas on these points needs a development of our 

 educational methods. Every country lad should grow up with an assured 

 confidence in the success of country life. We require improved conditions 

 in the school, on the farm, and in the home. One of these conditions 

 wall to some extent at least be met by introducing lessons in agriculture 

 in the State schools, by extending the farmers' classes, and bv establishing 

 agricultural high schools. During the past year marked progress has been 

 made in all these directions. The high schools opened at Sale and Warrnam- 

 bool have already won a large amount of support from the surrounding 

 districts, and extension of the buildings is already mooted in the case of 

 Sale. Four others will probably be opened before the close of the year. 

 In some quarters the Department is criticised for not establishing experi- 

 mental stations. As a matter of fact we have farms at Rutherglen, Whit- 

 field, Wvuna and Ballarat, all of which will develop into centres for 

 original work in everv branch of agriculture. 



Progress in Rural Production. 

 Oversea exports of farm products from Victoria ha\e risen from 

 ^10,725,000 in 1904 to ^12,370.000 in 1906. When it is remembered 

 that the former year was far and away the most favorable as far as 

 season and rainfall are concerned of any we have ever experienced, it 

 will be seen that progress has been both steady and satisfactory in every 

 line of rural production. Added to this, the fact that similar lines of 

 export to the other Australian States rose from ^1,400,000 in 1904 to 

 ^2,300,000 in 1906, and it will be seen that our progress may be described 

 as phenomenal. (The map which was exhibited showed the area of culti- 

 vation in each county drawn to scale.) Yet this map makes it clear that 

 agricultural development in Victoria is only just beginning. All the culti- 

 vation worth speaking about is north of the Hue of 20 inches of rainfall. 

 In one or two of the wheat-growintr countries, such as Moira and Tatchera, 



