MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE AND ART. 
5 
have we to expect that the Agriculturist will be moro en¬ 
ergetic? We do, in fact, find that the system of cultiva¬ 
tion, whether applied to green crops or cereals is of a very 
slovenly description, the land is never properly cleaned, 
it is never properly cultivated—that it is never adequately 
worked, or reduced to a proper tilth ; it is seldom or never 
properly manured, I may indeed say, with regard to 
nine-tenths of the land in this Colony, that it is never 
manured at all. A constant succession of the same kind 
of crops is taken off the same land year after year, and 
the result is exactly what any person who has thought 
upon the subject would anticipate, namely, that the crops 
arc bad in quality and deficient in quantity. The eartn, 
which is grateful for any attention bestowed upon it, and. re¬ 
stores ten and twenty fold that which it receives from man, 
is also sensible of neglect and iuattention, and leaves tho 
slovenly farmer to groan over diunshed returns from liis 
land, for which, though lie is very ready to blame the soil 
or the season, he has in truth no one to blame but himself. 
A reference to the ordinary annual retnriis of the 
land under cultivation, and of the quality of produce 
raised upon such land, will give a fair iiidieation of the 
character of our Agriculture, In .1855, it would seem 
from these returns, that there were 8G.3G9 acres under 
wheat, and the produce is put lit lj335,44G bushels, which 
is at the rate of 154 bushels per acre. On referring to 
the returns for former years, I find that in the bad 
season of 1817, the average fell as low as 10? bushels to 
the acre, while in 1849 f it rose as high as 21 bushels ; the 
yield of 1855 is, however, as near as possiblo a mean of 
that of the last ten years. 
Barley and oats are not cultivated to any groat ex¬ 
tent, and the croj« are light, lighter in comparison than 
that of Wheat-. 
The yield of Barley, on an average of ten years, ap¬ 
pears to have been l6j[ bushels to the acre, and that ot 
Oats, 15 bushels. Maize is cultivated largely, but the 
average yield does not exceed 25 bushels per acre, and 
that of Potatoes amounts to about 31 tons. I do not 
imagine that these returns can boast of very great ac¬ 
curacy, but the error, if any, is probably in exaggeration 
of the amount of produce ; and, 1 think, that 1 am justi¬ 
fied in taking the numbers above stated, as the yield per 
acre on an average. 1 do not, of course, mean to say that 
there are not many farms which yield much more than 
the amount stated, but, if this bo the case, there must be 
many which yield even less. 
Now looking at these numbers, and bearing in mind 
that the land under cultivation is probably the best por¬ 
tion of each separate farm, I think, I am Justified in 
stating that the land throughout New South Wales does 
not produce moro than half a crop. Let us see what the 
amount per aero would he, were wo to coublo the 
averages;— 
Wheat would give 31 bushels. 
Maize „ 50 „ 
Barley „ 33 „ 
Oats „ 30 „ 
Potatoes ,, 64 tons. 
If this be contrasted with the produce of a farm in 
America, not cultivated according to the best system, we 
shall be better able to judge of the comparative value of 
our system. In a farm in the State of New York, as 
stated by Professor Johnston :— 
* Wheat yields from 18 to 35 bushels. 
Barley „ 20 to 55 „ 
Oats „ 40 to 100 „ 
Maize „ 50 to 80 
Potatoes „ 21 to 74 tons, 
so that, with somo trifling exceptions, the yield in 
America is moro than double that of this Colony. 
I must not however state tliis too broadly; in tho 
particular instance given, tho yield is, as I said more 
than double of the average of New South Wales: but in 
.professor Johnston’s work—“Notes on North America,” 
fhere is ample evidence to prove to ns what must bo the 
result of our slovenly farming. 
. The system in force hero has also prevailed for many 
years in America, and the result has been a reduction in 
the crops to an extent which renders competition with 
other parts of tho country, or with the foreign producer 
impossible. Take the average of the stato of New 
York:— 
Wheat... 14 bushels. 
Barley. 16 „ 
Oats. 26 „ 
Maize .. 25 „ 
Potatoes... 14 tons per acre. 
This is abont oil a par with our present averages. But iii 
America the farther has a recourco ol' which the settler in 
this Colony does not think of availing himself. In 
America local ties are so little felt or cared for, that, as 
soon as a man finds that his crops aro diminishing in 
quantity and quality from tho exhaustion of the soil, ho 
sells his farm and settles upon another in tho great West¬ 
ern Country, from whence, owing to tho unequalled faci¬ 
lities of communication, either by water or by railways, 
he has no difficulty in sending his produce to market. 
Here, howeyer, tho settler who lias purchased Ids land, 
cleared and fenced it, and built his house upon it, is loth 
to leave it to encounter the work of the Bush; neither 
can he in the present state of the means of communica¬ 
tion veuture to settle himself at any great distance from 
his principal market, for fear that Ins produce should be 
left on his hands. The fanner iii New South Wales has, 
therefore, tw o alternatives before him, he must either con¬ 
tinue liis slovenly system of cultivation, and submit to 
tho gradual deterioration of tho property which he lias 
purchased, and to a certain extent made, or lie must, by 
the adoption of a better system, secure to himself and his 
children this possession of an Estate, whose value will 
increase from year to year, and upon which he may 
reasonably expend both labour and capital in the certainty 
that cither ho or his cliildren will reap tho benefit of tho 
outlay. 
If our Agriculture is at a low ebb,, what have we to say 
of that which forms in these Colonies a distinct branch 
altogether of rural economy, I mean tho breeding of Stock 
— Sheep, Cattle, and Horses ; hole evidence is shewn of 
the greater attention which has been paid to the improve¬ 
ment of breeds, especially as regards the sheep; but there 
is much yet to be done even as regards these, for which 
tho encouragement and assistance which can be offered 
by tho Society w ill bo most valuable : while any person 
W'lio inspects the cattle which are brought into Sydney for 
the supply of the population, or who looks at the miserable 
aniilials which compose the teams of the carriers on the 
dilferent roads, will be forced to admit that there is much 
room for improvement in tho breeds of both cattle and 
horses. 
I \vill not, however, enter at greater length into an ex¬ 
amination of the results of our Agricultural system. I 
have said enough to prove that there is room for very 
great improvement, and I look hopefully to the ciforts of 
the present Society, in furthering the introduction of such 
improvements of tho nature of which I propose now to 
attempt a sketch, 
I may remark, however, as an introductory caution, 
that the Agriculturists and Horticulturists must bo looked 
upon as producers of articles for sale, that is, as men w'lio 
having invested capital in a certain trade, have a right to 
look to the profits of that trade for a return of tho Usual 
interest upon that capital: Any improvement, therefore, 
which may be suggested must lie submitted to an arith¬ 
metical test: tile result of the improvement must bo 
shewn in such an increase in the quantity of tho produce, 
or in such a diminution in the cost of bringing it to mar¬ 
ket, as may fully recompense the gardener or farmer for 
any additional outlay of capital or labour which ho may 
have expended in introducing it. Subject to this proviso, 
I will now point out tho various modes in which the 
agency of the Society may bo made useful to tko Horti¬ 
culturist and Agriculturist. 
Labour is. very scarce, and wages are consequently 
high j it becomes, therefore, an object with every one en¬ 
gaged in cultivating the ground to economize in the appli¬ 
cation of labour in every way. 
Tliis is too often done by dispensing with the services of 
individual servants, and lessening thereby the actual 
amount of labour applied to the land, lowering the charac- 
