[ 88 ] 



many fold the area of storage of moisture and food 

 constituents available to the crops, must in the case 

 of many* soils exercise a most powerful influence in 

 controlling the ravages of drought. 



The great difficulty with us, where subsoil drainage 

 is most required, is to obtain a suitable outfall, but 

 this again, like so many of the points touched on in 

 the foregoing remarks, is just one of those questions 

 that we require an Agi'icultural Department to thresh 

 out thoroughly. 



Innumerable other minor matters naturally suggest 

 themselves as falling within the scope of the Agricul- 

 tural Department. 



One not unimportant point is economy in seed grain. 

 It is astonishing what an enormous amount of grain 

 is wasted in most parts of the country in over-seed- 

 ing, the result being a poorer and lighter crop than if 

 one-third of the quantity had been used as seed. It 

 ought not to be difficult to bring this gradually home 

 to the minds of the masses. 



The unquestionable improvement in the size, 

 strength, and condition of the major portion of the 

 cattle when relieved of the cruel yearly fast which 

 now so certainly dwarfs the young, and injures per- 

 manently the stamina of the adults, has been already 



♦ In the preceding remarks I liave endeavoured to avoid putting 

 forward partial as absolute truths. Yet I feel that even now there 

 is scarcely a sentence that does not require further limitations 

 and qualifications to make it accurate ; but how is it possible to 

 convey in a couple of pages truly accurate ideas on such subjects ? 

 A general, if rather hazy, bird's-eye view, neglecting' all but the 

 most prominent features, is all that can be hoped for. 



