266 AUSTRALASIA 



the results, there is no need to bring forward any 

 elaborate array of statistics to show how greatly 

 the productiveness of Australasia has increased 

 under the operation of the various circumstances 

 described above. On this point I will content 

 myself with a single fact, namely, that within 

 thirteen years of the practical application of the 

 principle of refrigeration, the exports of agricul- 

 tural products despatched by these means from 

 the colony of Victoria alone amounted in value 

 to £15,500,000. 



The expansion of colonial agriculture suggested 

 by such figures as these means much more, too, 

 than simply the direct return from the produce 

 that is exported. It means that land suitable for 

 grazing or other agricultural purposes in con- 

 venient localities has greatly increased in value 

 of late years ; and it means, also, that many 

 subsidiary industries have been created to supply 

 requirements for the various branches of agricul- 

 tural export. Saw mills and factories have been 

 set up for making butter and fruit boxes or 

 rabbit crates ; and hundreds of persons find 

 employment all the year round in providing 

 wraps for the carcases of frozen mutton. One 

 sees here a further illustration of a fact which I 

 have already repeatedly advanced — that the 

 development of agriculture may be a substantial 



