6 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Jan., 1919. 



with the task of hauling perishable produce by rail from Port Darwin 

 across the Australian desert to Melbourne. 



It is recognised, however, that railways cannot go everywhere, so that 

 there must be good roads to act as feeders to the railways. Much of the 

 energy of farmers has been dissipated in heavy haulage. A great deal 

 of the time and energy spent in hauling wheat over the sandy unmade 

 roads in the Mallee areas of South Australia and Victoria, or the 

 haulage of milk and cream over the tracks of Gippsland, could be spent 

 in increased production on the farm if better roads were available. 

 Victoria has led the way in systematic road construction by placing 

 the responsibility for construction and maintenance of main roads in 

 the hands of a Country Roads Board, and the valuable work done by 

 the Board has been generally recognised. Much, however, remains to be 

 done before our country roads are adequate for the needs of Victorian 

 agriculture. 



In the United States the Federal Government has recently interested 

 itself in the development of good roads. It is admitted that the county 

 system of road construction has been unsatisfactory. The counties 

 issued bonds to build roads by contract, but they provided no organiza- 

 tion to maintain them. The Federal Government now co-operates with 

 the State Governments in highway construction. The Federal Govern- 

 ment recently made an appropriation of £17,000,000, spread over five 

 years, as a subsidy for road construction. It proposes to allocate this 

 to the States on a £1 for £1 basis — 



One-third of the money on the basis of length of roads. 

 One-third of the money on the basis of size of State, 

 One-third of the money on the basis of population. 

 Each State must, in addition, place its roads under the control of a 

 State Highway Commission before it can secure Federal funds. The 

 Bill has had a remarkable effect. Already during the past year more 

 constructive highway legislation has been put on the statute-book than 

 at any previous period of the nation's history. 



Bulk Handling. 



The whole of the cereal harvest east of the Eocky Mountains ia 

 handled in bulk, as contrasted with the bag system practised here. Not 

 only wheat, but maize, oats, rye, and flax are handled in bulk. 



The great advantages of the bulk handling scheme contrasted with 

 the bag handling are: (1) saving in bags; (2) saving in labour; (3) 

 time; and (4) it permits the proper grading of grain according to 

 quality, and gives a premium to the careful grower. 



One has merely to observe the remarkable rapidity with which 

 cereals are loaded and unloaded at country and terminal elevators to be 

 convinced that the system must effect a great national saving in man 

 power, and that if a bulk handling scheme can be installed at a reason- 

 able cost substantial benefits must accrue to the community. Wheat 

 is often unloaded from trains at the rate of 10,000 bushels per hour, 

 and delivered from the terminal elevators to the ship's hold at the rate 

 of 25,000 bushels per hour. 



Nearly 90 per cent, of the farms of America are worked by owners. 

 In the East 80 acres is the normal size of a farm, in the Middle West 

 160 acres, and in the West 300 acres is the usual holding. The irriga- 

 tion blocks vary in size, but usually run from 30 to 50 ticree. 



