564 Journal of Agnciiltiire. [9 Sept., 1907. 



and assist the growers with my experience, deliver lectures, and give all 

 the information in my power to forward this particular branch of trade, 

 and thus enable the farmers to realize the grand prospects there are of 

 making the industry of pork-raising for export a profitable business. 



Some Statistics. 



The following statistics will give you some idea of the enormous 

 volume of trade done in the United States of America in connexion with 

 the pig-breeding industry: — " The number of pigs packed in the Western 

 States during the year ended ist March, 1907, was 25,430,000, or 

 145,000 less than the maximum attained in 1905-6. The marvellous- 

 growth of this industry is shown by the fact that the number did not reach 

 5,000,000 in any year prior to 1872-3, while it was only a little over 

 9,000,000 as recently as 1882-3, and it was not until 1897-8 that a total 

 of 20,000,000 was reached. The money paid for the Western pigs in 

 1906-7 amounted to 361,840,000 dols. (_^75,483,ooo), being the greatest 

 sum on record. Including an estimate for the Eastern States, the total 

 value of the pigs sold is 433,840,000 dols., or ;£90,383,3oo. Higher 

 prices were paid for the pigs during the past year than in the previous 

 twelve months, for though the number was slightly less the value was 

 greater by 66,353,000 dols. The average price in the West last year 

 was 6.36 dols. per 100 lbs. live weight, as compared with 5.33 dols. 

 for the previous twehe months. The quantity of green meat from the 

 25,430,000 pigs of last year was 3,175,955,000 lbs., and that of lard 

 824,442,000 lbs." 



Oversea Markets. 



This will give you some idea of the possibilities of growth in this 

 trade, and I unhesitatingly affirm that Victoria will not only hold its 

 own with the United States proportionately (taking the difference in the size 

 and population of the two countries into account) but that our little country 

 will produce more pigs and establish a name for our produce, which will 

 be of wide-world fame, and profitable for all. This statement is borne 

 out by the fact of the superiority of our soils, and the consequent greater 

 producing capabilities of our land, backed up by a genial climate un- 

 paralleled on the face of the earth. We suffer none of the excesses of 

 climate other lands are subject to. We are not snowed up in winter nor 

 prostrated by heat in summer. We are favoured by genial weather, and 

 everything is conducive to health in both man and beast. Hence, it is 

 apparent to any level-headed man that Victoria is an ideal place, capable 

 of breeding and raising hundreds and thousands of pigs annually, and 

 to do so profitably to the farmer and enable him with fair freights and 

 charges, to compete with any country in the world's markets. And see 

 what a field there is for our products ! Africa, India, China, Japan, 

 the Continent of Europe, and England, who now take our wool, grain, 

 beef, mutton, butter, and who will only be too glad to take our frozen 

 pork also. Shipments have already been sent with profitable results, 

 and it is evident it only requires the farmers of this State to go into 

 the pork-raising industry with vigour to make the trade a brilliant 

 success. 



Slow Progress. 



At the present time Victoria is just in the same position as she was 

 thirty-five years ago in regard to the pork-raising industry. Quoting from 

 the Australian Meat Trades Review, I find that as far back as 187 1 there 



