•stralin solve it, she would rank high indeed in the 
estimation of our parent country It is for 
Queensland a matter of the most stimulating im- 
portance, for it appears easily possible for us to 
say to our gracious Queen, “ We will, so far as 
cotton is concerned, stand in the same relation to 
the United Kingdom, as that hitherto occupied by 
the United States ; we can and will grow quite 
as much regularly year by year ; and we are re- 
solved to completely remove our further national 
exposure to the remark, though unfriendly, diffi- 
cult successfully to rebut, that Britain has not 
been thoroughly honest or consistent in that po- 
licy, which, while it redeemed the slaves in Bri- 
tish dominions at the princely ransom of 
£20,000,000, could yet passively consent to have 
this glorious act bedimmed by allowing a manu- 
facturing interest of so large and vital importance 
to grow up servilely dependent upon the continu- 
ance of slavery in its most undisguised abomin- 
ableness in another nation.” What a future for 
Queensland opens to the mind when contemplat- 
ing the cotton question in this light : and that we 
are building no castles in the air, but are pro- 
ceeding upon ground in every way safe and ten- 
able, it will be the object of the following divisions 
of this paper to show. 
2. The whole of Queenslandlies within those de- 
grees of latitude where the cotton plant grows 
luxuriantly. The coast line from Brisbane to 
Rockhampton is between the same degrees of la- 
titude as are those parts oi Africa Dr. Livingstone 
speaks of, where cotton is so abundant that “ the 
trees are cut down as weeds.” It is mentionable 
that he further states “ that as far as he could 
learn, this cotton was the American, so in- 
fluenced as to be perennial.” This geographical 
situation, and the above circumstances, augur fa- 
vourably for Queensland cotton, while the results 
oi the small amount of our actual experience are 
in striking confirmation. Wherever cotton has 
been tried upon the coast in Queensland, without 
.a single exception, it has surpassed all expecta- 
tions. The yield has been plentiful, and the 
quality excellent. IS otwithstanding our previous 
theoretical doubts, we cannot but be convinced 
that the capability of Queensland to grow' exten- 
sively cotton of the most valuable quality is 
placed beyond all cavil. Whether its cultivation 
on a large scale would be remunerative, or as re- 
munerative as the crops our farmers now 7 mainly 
depend upon, is a question the following consider- 
tions seem to answer in the affirmative. 
The crops now grown are very limited in va- 
riety. They could hardly be more so. Maize, 
English and sw r eet potatoes, oaten hay, make up 
the list. Arrowroot has been manufactured, and 
a superior article, but the quantity hitherto pro- 
duced lias been too small to be worth speaking of 
as a crop. The sweet potatoe, though yielding a 
large weight of return, has the serious defect of 
keeping sound but a short time after being dug 
up ; and this prevents its cultivation on farms 
any distance from market. It is upon the salt) 
of maize and English potatoes, grown alternately 
upon the same land, our farmers principally rely, 
The average yield of English potatoes is not mom 
than two tons per. acre ; their average value may 
be stated af £10 per ton. Maize yields on an aver, 
age of forty bushels per acre, while its value 
hitherto may be averaged at five shillings per 
bushel. These averages of value, it may be ob- 
served, are based upon a scale of prices higher 
than will probably be maintained. Maize can be 
grown on the banks of the Manning and Clarence 
rivers, but a short distance from Brisbane, by 
a cheap coastwise communication, andean be sold 
for less than five shillings per bushel. 
Two tons of English potatoes at £10 per ton, 
| and forty bushels of maize at five shillings per 
bushel, amount to £30 per acre. Tins is a larger 
amount than is generally realised. It is quite 
possible to grow the two crops on the same land 
within the twelve months, but our farmers do not 
regularly accomplish it, as it requires an uninter- 
mitting and heavy application of labour, with 
very favourable weather. English potatoes are 
but a precarious crop, being often a total failure. 
Though the quantity produced of cither potatoes 
or maize has never been large, our farmers some- 
times find great, difficulty in effecting sales. 
The perennial nature of the cotton plant, in 
Queensland would much lessen the labour of its 
cultivation, which, not to speak just now' of pick- 
ing, would consist in keeping the land clean, and 
in pruning the trees. The pruning would be easily j 
accomplished, and a horse-hoe would perhaps! 
most cheaply keep the weeds under; they would, j 
indeed, be considerably cheeked in their growth! 
by the shade of the cotton trees, even when com ] 
paratively young. Five acres have been assumed, i 
because this breadth of land appears not move 
than many would be inclined to plant ; it could 
i be appropriated to cotton on any farm without 
risk or anxiety, should an unfavourable season in- 
terfere with a successful result. Five acres would 
be space enough for 4500 trees, supposing them 
planted six feet apart with eight feet between the] 
row s. A yield of two pounds per tree would be 
9000 lbs. of cotton in the seed. Deducting two-j 
thirds for weight of seed, there remain 3000 lbs. 
of clean cotton as the produce of the five acres.) 
Now as to the value. Samples of Queensland, 
cotton have been valued in Manchester at from 2s. 
to 4<s. per lb. An account sale of two bales of cot- 
ton in the seed sent from Brisbane in the Gladio- 
lus is very satisfactory. One of the bales con- 
tained all the stained, inferior cotton that was 
lying about when the other bale had been made 
up. This, with all its defects, sold for tenpence 
per lb., and there was in it cotton worth from fif- 
teenpence to eighteenpence if it had been classed. 
The bale of white cotton brought one shilling and 
ninepence per lb., and this bale had a quantity in 
