BY J. C. BRUNNICH, F.I.C. 39 



wealth for size, quality of soil, and rainfall, we are not 

 growing one quarter of the food-stufi we consume, while 

 in South AustraHa they not only feed themselves, but 

 after contributing largely to the needs of the Common- 

 wealth, they sent away to oversea markets last year over 

 £2,500,000 worth of wheat and flour." 



An advancement of our agriculture can only be brought 

 about by encouraging close settlement in agricultural 

 districts ; by affording financial support to the farmers 

 in their earliest struggles, by teaching the farmers the 

 latest m.ethods by practical demonstrations on Experimental 

 Farms, and in Agricultural Colleges by establishing 

 research scholarships at these institutions, and finally by 

 introducing agricultural subjects into our elementary 

 schools, so as to inculcate into the mind of our children 

 a love for the noblest of all trades : "To dress the earth and 

 keep the flocks of it — the first task of man andjhe final one.^'' 



The carrying out of this policy is largely one of expense, 

 and it is a very bad sign, and shows great shortsightedness, 

 that our legislators during bad times, necessitating 

 retrenchments, put the pruning knife into the Department 

 of Agriculture. In times of drought, our proverbial lean 

 years, so far from retrenchment being set in motion, a 

 young country should increase its expenditure, even at 

 the cost of borrowing, just as the gardener waters his plants 

 in dry weather to ensure future bloom. Such expenditure 

 means Prosperity to Posterity. Nations are immortal, 

 individuals are only mortal. I will give an instance of 

 the fallacy of the present policy : A former principal of our 

 Agricultural College was severely criticised for purchasing 

 machinery and implements for the institution which were 

 found to be of little or no value, and had to be replaced 

 by other ones. Is it not much wiser that such implements 

 should be tried once for all at a college, in order to let 

 students see the advantages and disadvantages of each, 

 than that useless or inefficient implements should be 

 purchased by farmers, who have nobody to guide and 

 advise, and have to rely upon the glowing testimonials 

 displayed by the agents ; testimonials which perhaps are 

 genuine enough, but not applicable to local conditions ? 



But why this singling out of Agriculture, for discussion ; 

 wherein lies its importance ? 



