56 



THE AOBICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



with last year. The creation of these 



factories is almost invariably productive 

 of prosperity in the surrounding districts, 

 with concurrent industrial developments 

 which cannot fail to benefit the entire 

 community. The keynote of all these in- 

 stitutions is economy, and the fullest use 

 is made of every particle of the animals 

 Blaughtered at the factory to which I have 

 referred, even the blood being saved and 

 converted, with the bones, into manure, a 

 ready sale for which was found, the price 

 being £•! 10s. per ton in Brisbane. Beef 

 at this establishment was obtainable 

 for 2fd. per ft., and I was informed 

 that it could be landed in South Africa 

 for an additional Id, per lb. Creameries 

 and butter and cheese factories are especi- 

 ally numerous, and the flourishing con- 

 dition of the Australian dairyman to-day 

 is unquestionably attributable to their 

 creation. In one of the butter factories 

 which I visited — by no means one of the 

 largest — the output of butter last year 

 was over 900 tons. 



Labour, Machinery, and Land. 



Labour is scarce and dear, and 1 

 was much impressed with the nu- 

 merous contrivances and methods ad- 

 opted in all the industries and fac- 

 tories, and on estates, farms, and 

 even in the home, for saving it. The in- 

 troduction of the best labour-saving 

 machinery in the world has been resorted 

 to, and has resulted in supplanting hand 

 labour ; enormously increasing produc- 

 tion, and reducing cost, thereby stimulat- 

 ing demand. This, again, has re-acted on 

 the land, which is rapidly rising in value, 

 and from which all this wealth is derived. 

 Dairy and other farms within reasonable 

 distance of railway communication near 

 centres bring from £10 to £40 per acre, 

 according to fertility, and this state of 

 things has been brought about in face of 

 the fact that unskilled labour has been 

 fixed by law at a minimum wage of 7s. per 

 diem of eight hours' work. 



Dairying. 



Dairying is still rapidly progressing in 

 Australia, and several of the large pas- 

 toral estates in Victoria and elsewhere 

 have recently been cut up into suitable 

 allotments for lease or sale to small 



holders for dairy purposes. Where the 

 land is leased the lessor agrees to supply 

 the lessee with a given number of cows, 

 which number the tenant must maintain, 

 and the product thereof is divided be- 

 tween the parties according to their agree- 

 ment. The lessor in such cases usually 

 provides all necessary yards, outbuildings, 

 and dwelling-house for'his tenant. When 

 rented for cash, one pound per acre per 

 annum is usually paid for land suitable 

 for grazing dairy cattle. The most suc- 

 cessful auiongst' the dairymen are gener- 

 ally those with large families, who 

 assist in the work. The cream is usually 

 separated on the farm, and sent to the 

 factory, while in other cases small central 

 creameries are formed to deal with the 

 milk. The great advantage of these fac- 

 tories is that the appliances at their dis- 

 posal enable them to produce butter of 

 uniform good quality, which always com- 

 mands a ready sale, and ensures a steady 

 market. The advance in dairying has 

 been so marked during the past few 

 years that even the most sanguine could 

 never have anticipated its present flourish- 

 ing condition. 



Stock. 



The cost of land in close proximity to 

 business centres or the lines of railway 

 is bringing about a division of labour in 

 regard to the raising and fattening of 

 stock, as the breeders cannot acquire the 

 large areas necessary for their purpose 

 near enough to a market to enable them to 

 deliver their cattle or sheep in prime con- 

 dition, and they are thus compelled to 

 sell their "stores" to men holding fatten- 

 ing areas in touch with the factories or 

 butchers. This fattening appears to be 

 a very lucrative industry, and is attended 

 with mutual advantage to both breeder 

 and grazier. 



Concurrently with dairying, and as an 

 adjunct thereto, has arisen the breeding 

 of pigs, which I was informed was one 

 of the most remunerative occupations of 

 the farmer. As in the ease of cattle and 

 sheep, the introduction of the factorv has 

 given a tremendous impetus to this in- 

 dustry, one factory alone, in Queensland, 

 having dealt with fi.5,000 pigs last year. 

 This factory, in common with many 

 others, had a very small beginning, the 

 ' reason being that the farmer had to be 



