BY HERBEllT HEAT ON, M.A., M. COMM. 7 



bufchels of wheat liave already been exported to Port Jack- 

 son out of the late harvest, and still there is enough and to 

 spare for our own needs. From this earnest of industry 

 and fertility in so young a colony, and with so small a 

 population, the mind is led to contemplate on its prosper- 

 ity and happiness at a remote period, when agriculture 

 shall be brought to a state of perfection ; when a popula- 

 tion more than is requisite for the purposes of agriculture 

 will support the Arts and Commerce, extended through 

 their means ; M'hen fair Science and the Liberal Arts will 

 rear their heads, and all the benefits of political society be 

 universally felt." Look at the greatness of Rome; her 

 strengrli was based on agriculture : every successful empire 

 has been built up on the foundations of prosperous hus- 

 bandry. "So proud an example ought to stimulate us to 

 persevere in agriculture. All is in our favour, Climate, 

 Soil, Manures', etc. Our wheat has already found one 

 Market for its superabundance, and more is likely to be 

 soon opened to us. Our Barley can be made into beer, 

 to the great benefit of the country, and it is to be hoped 

 that every other article of Produce will find a vent. 'Ye 

 generous Britons, venerate the Plough,' is the exhortation 

 of the Melodious Bard."' A fine editorial, and read with 

 approbation by many a free settler in the island. But such 

 sentiments were distinctly unpalatable to Sydney, and 

 when the editor of the Sydney Gazette took up the cudgels 

 against his Hobait rival, a wordy warfare ensued. There 

 were few journalistic niceties in those days, and the blows 

 struck were hard and merciless. The Hobart editor suc- 

 <'eeded in keeping his temper, though with difficulty, and 

 eventually on December 24, 1824, he complained of the 

 "ill-bred and Avaspish personalities" of the Svdnev writer, 

 and the "little jealousies arisins: from the HOURLY DE- 

 VELOPING SUPERIORITY OF TASMANIA." 



There was little real cause for jealousy, for both 

 colonies were making steady progress. To this progress 

 the Hohart Toini Gazette contributed very materially. In 

 an age when scientific literature on agriculture was scarce 

 in Tasmania, the Gazette rendered great sei^vice by publish- 

 ing articles of prime importance to settlers on the land. In 

 the fifth issue (13) appeared the first instalment of an 

 article on the possibilities of growing hops in the island. 

 This article began on the note of temperance, a note which 

 always found a welcome hearing in the Gazette. The con- 

 sumption of spirits was very sfreat (14), a fact responsible 

 for many of the problems which confronted the authori- 

 ties. The Gazette fought against the liquor trade ye^J" 

 after year, and many quaint articles and diagrams on 



