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“until wanted for settlement” under pastoral licenses. from the Crown, do 
not work harmoniously. The latter class complain bitterly that the 
right of free selection subjects them to a constant liability to be inter- 
rupted in their business and to have their improvements taken from 
- them without compensation. 
Agriculture and related industries—It is claimed that the colony 
has varieties of climate and soil adopted to all agricultural produc- 
tions which will grow within the range of climate limited on the north by 
England, and on the south by Italy. It now produces cereals sufficient for 
itsown demands, though occasional shipments of breadstuffs find their way 
into it from California and from the adjacent colonies. The climate seems 
poorly adapted to the growing of maize, and yet it is extensively grown 
for fodder. Of vegetables, fruit, dairy products, poultry, eggs, &c., the 
production is fully equal to the demand. In some years potatoes have 
been produced in such quantities that many have been left to rot because 
it would not pay to trausport them to Melbourne. During the greater 
part of the year butter sells by the quantity, at 8 to 13 cents per pound. 
Experiments in shipping it to London, not yet abandoned, have not 
hitherto resulted very favorably, the apparent ground of failure being — 
a want of adequate intelligence and care in making and packing it—a 
heavy drawback upon the price of butter in the market, by no means 
confined to that made in Victoria. It may be owing to alike cause that 
a few cheese factories started in the colony on the American plan have 
not thus far been remunerative. The cultivation of sugar-beets has been. 
introduced, and some companies have been formed for the manufacture 
of sugar and spirits from them; whether the colony can command, at 
present, sufficient skill and enterprise to insure success in this branch of 
industry, is yet to be determined. Another industry yet in its infaney 
is the production of wine. The grape attains great perfection here, and 
it would seem that intelligence, guided by experience, in the art of mak- 
ing wine, is all that is wanting to make Victoria a great wine producing 
country. Some incipient steps have been taken in silk culture; but it is 
thought that a lack of cheap labor must be an insuperable obstacle to 
success in that business, at least for some years to come. Attention has 
also been turned toward the culture of the olive for both the home and 
foreign markets. Among the conditions which favor the production of 
stock, wool, meats, butter, and cheese are abundant yields of grass and 
feed. Foreign grasses thrive well. Lucern, Italian rye-grass, and some 
other varieties of green food for cattle are said to grow with astonishing 
luxuriance. Wool has lately been selling at so low arate that many 
who, in more prosperous times, invested in flocks have been bankrupted ; 
but quite recently heavy advances in the price of wool have revived con- 
fidence and the business of sheep husbandry is growing in favor. The 
arrival of American wool-buyers has largely contributed to this result, 
and it is hoped that their presence may lead to an increase of trade with 
the United States in other commodities. During the month preceding 
November 18, 1871, more wool was shipped from Melbourne to the United 
States than in the preceding two years. In the return of exports from | 
Melbourne, for 1870, are specified 52,123,451 pounds of wool, (value 
$15,512,713, averaging. 294 cents per pound;) 14,137 head of cattle, 
($199,616, averaging $14.12 per head,) and 13,167 hides, ($55,699 ;) but 
these are not all products of Victoria, a considerable portion of them 
having been brought to Melbourne for market or shipment from adja- 
cent colonies. 
