25APKIT,, 1917.] Farmers, Win the War! 233 



4. Use Select Bred Vakieties. 



It has been proved that it is possiWo for a skilled observer to pick 

 out plants of a more prolific strain from any given variety of wheat. 

 The average farmer has not the rime nor the skill necessary to do this. 

 The Department of Agriculture does this for him, and can sup])ly from 

 one of its se(>d stations select bred pedigree seed wheat, true to type, and 

 guaranteed of high-yielding capacity. Many farmers are growing these 

 wheats, but there are many more who are not reaping the benefits pro- 

 vided for them. 



Finance: The Key to a Bigger Acreage. 



A bigger acreage is a (jiK'stion of money. Many farmers have the 

 land and the i)lant, but they have not the ready money to ])ay extra 

 liamls, to pay for extra horseflesh, extra superphosphate or seed. If 

 they had the capital they could break up new laud, and take advantage 

 of the conditions that now offer. If the capitalist — the man with money 

 to invest — could be induced to take an interest in agriculture, additional 

 areas might be sown at a profit to himself and the farmer. 



It may be of interest to quote the experiences of a Melbourne business 

 man. In 1915 he financed '204 acres in Borung and 500 acres in the 

 Mallee. He paid the farmer a fixed sum for [lutting in and taking oS 

 the crop, and Supplied two-thirds of the seed and manure, and took two- 

 thirds of the crop. For a total investment of £890 19s. 9d. he received 

 (J,67'S bushels of wheat at the railway siding, and 52 tons of hay, and hf, 

 reaped a net profit of £500 for his outlay of £890. Both the fanner and 

 the investor were satisfied with their joint operations, aud it would not 

 have been possible to put in this 700 acres of land but for the fi.nancial 

 assistance. 



In 1916 further contracts were entered into for 1,000 acres, includ- 

 ing 580 acres in the Mallee. 



The figures for the Mallee are now to hand, and they show that the 

 capitalist made a net profit of £727 18s. 2d. for an outlay of £688 Is. lOd. 

 — that is to say, he more than doubled liis money. 



The following are the details: — 



470 acres fallow . . . . . . 3,090 bags 



110 stubble .. .. .. 450 „ 



3,540 bags 

 Two-third share of crop, 2,3()0 bags = 7,080 



bushels, at 4.s... .. .. .. £1.410 



Cost of ])rodticing saiue to investor, including 

 fallowing, drilling, harvesting, carting, bag 

 sewing . . . . ' . . . . 688 1 10 



I'rofit . . . . . . . . £727 18 2 



These figures speak for themselves, and show what is to be done if 

 investors go about the business in the right way. 



