53 



us to look around to see if we can produce anything to improve 

 our situation and to ameliorate the condition of our producers. 



In this respect I think our experimental farms have not kept 

 sufficiently ahead of the times. 



The industry to which I think we must look to help us out of 

 our difficulties, viz., the wine industry has, up to the present 

 time, not received the attention it deserves. It is true a block of 

 land for viticultural purposes was reserved at Rutherglen, and 

 planted under expert supervision with the best kinds of vines for 

 wine-making purposes, but the accommodation, appliances, and 

 the grant to thoroughly make, blend, and mature its produce 

 properly on scientific lines, has been withheld from those in charge 

 of it. In this respect I regret to say the wine industry has not 

 been given the attention and consideration it is so justly entitled to 

 according to my idea. 



The art of propagation and cultivation of the very best-known 

 fibre plants, and the manipulation of the same, is one that should 

 have been mastered ere this, especially when we consider the 

 large amounts expended year after year in importing woolpacks, 

 cornsacks, and bran-bags, the raw material for ropes, reaper and 

 binder and other twines, cordage of all descriptions, and the 

 matting required for the various industries already established 

 here. Various parts of our colony are well adapted for growing 

 fibre plants, as was shown in a paper read recently by the Curator 

 of the Botanical Gardens, Mr. G-uilfoyle, before the Chamber of 

 Rural Industries, on this matter. 



The cultivation of the best-known sugar beet should have been 

 well advanced now that you. Sir, have given such a stimulus 

 to the manufacture of sugar from beet. 



The cultivation of trees and plants as well as the olive for the 

 manufacture and production of the various oils used largely every 

 day should have been tested long since. 



The cultivation of cereals suitable for distribution for seed pur- 

 poses has not reached the standard it should have — the production 

 of the best kinds of barley for malting and other purposes — ex- 

 perimenting with various rust-resisting wheats should be gone on 

 with, especially when we consider that through the ravages of 

 the rust in the year 1889 the loss to the colony was very little 

 short of £250,000. 



The growing of the most suitable kinds of fruit for export, 

 either as green, dried, or canned ; assistance towards establishing 

 canning and drying works in large centres ; the proper stock to 

 bud or graft on to ; the best insect-proof and blight-resisting 

 kind should also have been thoroughly tested. 



The raising of live stock most suitable for the frozen meat ex- 

 port trade should have received more attention, now that such 

 progress is being made in that department. 



