58 
poor ones, and Victoria is no exception to this rule. I suppose that 
amongst the hundreds of soils which I have examined at least 
three-quarters of them have been what we should call third-class 
soils; and the really first-class soils could be almost counted on one’s. 
fingers. Victoria at present is looking for a return of prosperity: 
to its agricultural exports. What are we, then, to say to the fact 
that perhaps the greater portion of the plant food which ought to 
be used for the growth of this agricultural export is allowed to 
be sent out of the country to feed the agriculture of other 
lands ? 
But, it is said, will manuring pay ? Weare too poor ; we cannot 
afford to manure. In answer, one has to say that, not only will 
cultivation with rational manuring pay, but it is only when one 
begins to manure that in the majority of cases cultivation 
becomes a profitable business. It is cultivating without manuring 
that does not pay. Only when people study their soils and 
supply the crops with plant food in accordance with the require- 
ments of the soils will the mass of them be able to rise froma 
hand-and-mouth existence up to competence and comfort. 
Now, to show you in conclusion what may be done by manur- 
ing, let us turn again to the case of Mr. Ewer’s test plots in his 
raspberry plantation at Childers. The results of these plots are 
here reproduced from the first part of the lecture :— 
Returns From Tests oN THREE-YEAR-OLD RasPBERRIES BY 
Mr. Ewers, CHILDERS, 1892-3. 
Weight of Estimated Weight 
—_— Raspberries per of New Canes 
Acre. for Next Season.* 
Ibs. oz. per plot. 
Plot 1. Complete manure, light dressing 2,700 43 
Plot 2. Complete manure, medium dress- 
ing ae asi aor Alas 3,000 54 
Plot 3. No manure one sia sa 2,050 364 
Plot 4. Complete manure, heavy dressing 3,500 62 
Plot 5. Same as Plot 2, but no nitrogen... 2,276 35 
Plot 6. Same as Plot 2, but no phosphoric 
acid aes “an ave see 2,750 45 
Plot 7. Same as Plot 2, but no potash ... 2,850 47 
Plot 8. Nomanure_... a toe 2,000 49 
Plot 9. Same as Plot 2, but nitrogen 
given as nitrate of soda ee ie 2,900 62 
Plot 10. Same as Plot 2, but twice as 
much potash sine wa aie 8,300 65 
The weight of the new canes was estimated by measuring their length and thickness; 
by multiplying these together the cubical cont i i d 
from this the weight was readily caleulated Vere *PProximately ascertained, and 
