15 Nov., 1919.] Directions in which Agriculture inuy he Derelupi'd. 643 



Roumania, the following position was indicated so far as domestic- 

 animals were concerned : — 



1916. 1919. 



Horses . . . . 754,000 . . 149,000 



Oxen . . . . 1,765,000 . . 705,000 



Sheep . . . . 5,550,000 . . 445,000 



Cows . . . . 1,680,000 . . 420,000 



Swine . . . . 839,000 . . 84,000 



10,579,000 .. 1,803,000 



Can you picture what this means? What kind of a showing would 

 Victoria make if we lost over 80 per cent, of our domestic animals in 

 three years, and the major part of our agricultural implements and 

 equipment ? 



We know how disastrously a drought which may take 10 to 20 per 

 cent, of our stock affects us. But 80 per cent. ! Then what has 

 happened in Roumania has heen repeated in Serbia, Bulgaria, Belgium, 

 Northern France, Poland, Ukraiuia, and the Baltic Provinces. And 

 can you imagine w^hat is going on in the richest agricultural regions of 

 distracted Russia — with the Bolsheviks contending for mastery on a 

 battle front of 1,000 miles? 



2. The war has given the masses of Europe an idea of their power. 

 In the social and industrial reconstruction going on in Europe, the 

 masses will demand shorter hours, and higher wages, and better condi- 

 tions of living. All this will tend to increase costs of production in 

 Europe, and will indirectly favour Australia, where the workers already 

 enjoy conditions for which the European workmen are striving. 



It is reasonable, therefore, to conclude that the level of prices will 

 be high, and that there will be a great demand for our surplus 

 wheat, meat, wool, and dairy products. 



These we can produce in abundance, and they will be produced in 

 abundance if agriculturists are allowed to get the full fruits of their 

 labour, and to obtain the full world's parity for their produce. That 

 will be the greatest possible incentive to the farmer. 



I have said that there is every probability of the level of prices of 

 agricultural commodities on the world's market remaining high for 

 several years. Possibly the pre-war -levels will never be again ex- 

 perienced. There is every prospect of a profitable era of agriculture 

 being ushered in. In what direction will our future progress lie? 

 Briefly: — (1) In the further development of what are regarded as our 

 staple industries — wheat, wool, dairying, meat; (2) the diversification 

 of our agriculture by the more extensive growth and further development 

 of crops now regarded as side lines; (3) the improvement of systems of 

 marketing the produce. 



If the State and the nation asks for increased production, it must 

 provide facilities for the profitable absorption of the surplus products. 



(1) A word or two regarding our staple products: — (a) wheat; 

 (h) dairy products; (c) meat and wool. Victoria could easily double 

 or treble its production of wheat. During the last twenty years the 

 average annual harvest has increased from 13,000,000 bnslrels to an 



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