834 REPORT— 1887. 



in some cases, not quite clear to the other. Then comes the further and final test of 

 population, trade, and revenue. To understand fully the two tables here given it is 

 premised that Victoria started, relatively speaking at least, decidedly hehind New 

 South Wales, hut that her enormous gold-production^at first ten times that of New 

 South Wales — quickly sent her far ahead in all three items. Her gold, however, 

 gradually fell off, until it is now but about three millions to the one million of the 

 other colony. Victoria, then, with the spare labour from gold-digging, turned her- 

 self naturally to increased agriculture, and also, by means of protection, to manu- 

 factures. Meanwhile, New South Wales, inevitably distanced for a time by the 

 Victorian gold, has since been gaining steadily on her sister, and is already equal in 

 population and substantially ahead in trade and revenue. 



Sub-Sec HON F. 



1. Preventible Losses in Agriculture.^ By Professor "W. Fream, B.Sc. 

 F.L.S., F.O.S., F.S.S. 



In this paper losses in agriculture are classified under the two heads of con- 

 trollable and uncontrollable. The latter are chiefly due to meteorological causes. 

 The former are such as may be reasonably anticipated, and, therefore, provided 

 against. The circumstance that they are tolerated at aU is attributable partly to 

 ignorance, partly to indifference, pai-tly to empiricism. 



Various sources of preventible loss are cited and discussed. Examples are — 

 imperfect working of the soil ; use of bad seed ; encouragement of weeds ; deterio- 

 ration of grass lands ; farm pests ; diseases of livestock ; injudicious purchases of 

 artificial fertilisers and feeding stuffs. 



As remedies for preventible losses, and therefore as means for rendering agri- 

 culture a more profitable industry, two courses are suggested : (1) the extension 

 throughout the country of sound technical instruction in agriculture ; (2) the 

 equipment by the nation of a thoroughly efficient Department of Agriculture. 

 These proposals are discussed at some length, and the practices of other countries 

 are noticed. 



The paper concludes as follows : — 



A properly equipped Department of Agriculture could do much to stimulate 

 agricultural inquiry and to promote agricultural prosperity in this country. Com- 

 pared with other industries, agriculture is handicapped, inasmuch as its workers 

 are more isolated, and have fewer opportunities of interchanging experiences, or ot 

 attending meetings for discussion or other objects. The Department could beep 

 agriculturists well instructed upon a variety of subjects, respecting which informa- 

 tion is now acquired only in a haphazard manner. Upon statistical matters of 

 current interest, upon impending crop scourges, upon the health of livestock, upon 

 the much-needed reforms in dairy practice, it could and should elaborate and dis- 

 seminate instruction and advice, and it would thus act as a powerful lever in the 

 direction of better technical instruction in agriculture. The demand for an efficient 

 Department of Agriculture is heard both in Parliament and in the shires ; year by 

 year it becomes more pressing, and the time cannot be far distant when it must 

 be met. 



It is estimated that about one-fourth of the inhabitants of the United Kingdom 

 are dependent upon the agricultural industry. It is desirable, therefore, that this 

 our leading productive industry should be encouraged and fostered in every legiti- 

 mate way. I have endeavoured to indicate two of the directions in which im- 

 provement may be effected. At the same time I am aware that some economists 

 would prefer to seek relief along other channels, and would, with this object, point 

 perhaps to our national fiscal policy, to the incidence of local taxation, to the ques- 



' Published in extemo in the North British Agriculturist, &c. 



