552 Journal of Agriculture. [lo Sept., 1910. 



the present method of truck weighing, which is as unsatisfactory as the 

 single bag method of former years. 



All these benefits are possible, and the primary producer is justly en- 

 titled to specially favourable consideration from the Railway Department 

 for on his success its success depends. 



One of the main questions that greatly concerns us, and on which the 

 success of the system depends, is the practicability of shipping bulk wheat 

 over a great distance, but Argentina adopted the system in 1900, and last 

 year exported in bulk 70,000,000 bushels of wheat and 18,000,000 bushels 

 of oats, against 23,000.000 bushels of wheat and 6,000,000 of oats in 

 bags, the latter going to ports with no elevator accommodation. Another 

 important question is the value of wheat in bulk and in bags. The 

 Commonwealth Year Book for 1907 gives the following average prices in 

 London : — 



Per Quarter. 



^ s. d. I s. d. 



Bagged wheat (Australian)... i 13 8 Atlantic Coast ... ... i 13 9 



Pacific Coast ... ... i 11 9 Argentina ... ... ... i 11 6 



Bulk wheat (Canadaj ... i 14 o 



The advantage, if any, is in favour of bulk wheat. Again, the Royal 

 Commission which, ten years ago, took evidence on this system of handling 

 grain, admitted the efficiency and economy of the method, also the 

 improvement effected in the quality of the wheat, but reported that " In- 

 sufficient wheat was produced. Ports possessing facilities for handling 

 wheat in bulk too limited, and its effect on vested interests too great." 



However, all these objections are now, or should be, obliterated, as 

 the improved methods in cultivation have increased the yield, so as to 

 leave an average exportable surplus for the five-year period ending 1909-10 

 of 14,000,000 bushels, equal to the whole average production for the five- 

 year period ending 1901, when the Commission sat, and the Common- 

 wealth yield has increased from 48,000,000 bushels in 1901 to 91,000,000 

 in 1909 ; also, owing to the growing trade in bulk wheat, all the principal 

 ports in importing countries have elevators, while there is now among ship- 

 ping companies an eagerness to cater for Australian trade, which did not 

 exist ten years ago. 



In conclusion, it is with great pleasure that I now quote the Minister 

 for Public Works in his address to his constituents at the Echuca Town 

 Hall, on the 24th May last. He said : — " We recognise it is the duty 

 of the Government to create the best facilities for shipping produce, and 

 to enable the producers to put their stuff on the markets of the world at 

 a rtiinimum of cost, so that they will be able to compete with producers 

 in other countries. The Government is alive to this responsibility." 

 Here is a recognition by a Minister of the Crown of what the farmer 

 has been urging for many years, and it is earnestlv hoped that the first 

 facility to be created will be the handling and shipping of grain in 

 bulk. 



