252 
MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE AND ART. 
which we cau procure from them cheaper than they 
could be produced by ourselves. 
Suppose we were to compare such an estimate of the 
capabilities of the country as these quasi authorities put 
forth, with the proud capacity of other countries, aye, with 
that of any other country in the world, where should we 
put Australia ?—what could we term her than the 
greatest desert upon the fare of the earth ? For this com- 
parison we will not go to England or to America, when 
science renders the productive mechanical powers of one ' 
man equal to sixty without it, or to China where there is 
little more thJm standing room for the people ; but I 
prefer going to a small island in the Pacific ocean, not 
by any means so fertile as many others that could be 
mentioned, but I prefer it because it was originally 
settled by Englishmen—I mean Pitcairn’s Island, 
This island includes an area about equal to one of our 
official sections, 040 acres or a square mile, and of this 
a considerable portion is unavailable from its rocky 
and precipitous nature, yet on it from 150 to 200 people, 
requiring European or American clothing, Chinese tea. 
&c., &c„ were able to live happily and comfortably, 
chiefly by means of the cultivation of the soil, and that 
cultivation of the most rude and primitive nature. Now 
in tliis country we have, if we clioose to uso-them, all 
the scientific appliances and advantages of the most 
advanced nations. And yet, instead of 040 acres of 
land supporting 200 of our people, the patriots (?)before 
spoken of, would make it appear that it required three 
times as much of Australia to support one individual; 
that Pitcairn's Island was 000 times per square mile 
more productive than their own country : or that Pit¬ 
cairn’s Island, if merely of the equal average capabi¬ 
lities of Australia, would be about sufficient to support 
the third part of a man, instead of 200 people. 
It may be thought that I have chosen a very singular 
illustration—so no doubt I have, because, perhaps, 
there is not another one so good. 3Iy answer is, that 
although T miglithave found others, which would have 
told as strongly, if not more so in some respects, yet 
that under all circumstances the one adduced is the 
best, because the extent of the island was so easily 
defined; because its people were neither highly civi¬ 
lised, in the conventional sense of the term, nor yet 
uncivilised savages, but an intelligent, moderately edu¬ 
cated, and virtuous British community, although, from 
the circumstances of their origin, unacquainted with 
the scientific cultivation of the soil ; and, because, the 
islanders were so far removed from neighbours that it 
cansot be supnosed they had anything to depend upon 
for food and clothing but the productions of their own 
island, and the surplus of these to exchange with visi¬ 
tors for such other cJqtbing, luxuries, &c., as they might 
require. 
On reference to my papers No. 1 and 2 of the present 
series, it will be seen that I have put down the pas¬ 
toral capabilities of the country at a very high figure. 
But as I believe that I am the first who has proposed 
the improvement of our natural pastures, I think I 
am justified in concluding, that the parties who agree 
with the assertion about the shepherds and the stock - 
men, meant nothing more thau the pastures as nature 
left them, with the exception of the driving off, or 
exterminating the unfortunate original human inha¬ 
bitant with dark skins, and their cattle, the kangaroo, 
in all its varieties. And as I have already shown, 
that under these circumstances Australia has reached 
somewhere about her maximum amount of productive¬ 
ness, which will not be sufficient of itself to maintain 
much above a million of people, it will appear that the 
comparison drawn is not an unfair or overdrawn one. 
In ^ comparing the agricultural positions of these 
colonies with reference to one another, I will commence 
with Van Dieman's Land, or Tasmania, because, for 
many years, she held the leading position in this 
respect. Her climate is well suited for the cultivation 
of those productions, which constitute the most impor¬ 
tant items of human food- But in this respect she has 
no considerable natural advantage over the other three 
colonies, certainly not to such an extent as to war¬ 
rant the lead she has so long kept. This being 
admitted, the question is naturally suggested:—What 
caused a greater developement of her agriculture? 
I think the answer to this question is easy. Tas¬ 
mania is comparatively a small country. The avail¬ 
able natural pastures were soon occupied, and no- 
other graud natural resources existed, consequently 
the policy of the people was not directed away 
from agriculture, by such glittering prospects as were 
held out to the settlers in the other Australian colonies; 
but on the other hand, the leading fpatore of their 
policy necessarily became the encouragement of agri¬ 
cultural developement; and probably, had it not been 
for circumstances, over which they had no controul, 
such as the discovery of gold in colonies adjacent to 
her shores, &c., she would still hav e been enabled to 
supply whatever deficiencies might have taken place in 
bread requirements amongst her neighbours. And 
even notwithstanding the success which has hitherto 
been enjoyed by the island, I am of opinion, that the 
benefits arising from a greater concentration of the 
agricultural population has been very much over¬ 
looked by her leading men. 
Port Phillip, or \ictoria, also rejoices in a soil 
and climate surpassed by few other countries, but the 
same causes which operated as a check upon agricul¬ 
tural developement in New South Wales operated 
there also, and perhaps even to a greater extent. Vic¬ 
toria was originally settled for grazing purposes alone* 
the pastures as a whole were the richest in Australia, 
and her pastoral riches were so rapidly developed as to 
not only astonish the world, but almost to turn the 
heads of the settlers themselves. But the boundaries 
of the colony were defined and the limits of pasturage 
soon reached, thus nutting the further extension of this 
wondeiously enriching pursuit to a stop—no more 
country for occupation existed. In ibis respect Victoria 
had an advantage of New South Wales, as far as the 
direction of the attention of the people to other than' 
pastoral pursuits was concerned, for as yet, the limits 
of occupation in the latter, are not ascertained. Of 
course, when it was found that there was no more room 
for flocks and herds, the people began to pay attention 
to the cultivation of the soil, and in spite of difficulties 
which former policy had permanently placed in the 
wav, Victoria was fast rising in an agricultural respect, 
when the discovery of gold burst upon her, and for a 
time overturned all the progress made. She is now 
recovering from the shock gradually, but sorely, and 
most probably, in a very few years hence, she will, at 
the very least, produce enough corn for her own con¬ 
sumption. 
South Australia, although comprising a very large 
slice of our “inland continent,’’ vet has never become 
great amongst the pastoral Australias, Her early ex¬ 
plorers fouud large tracts of uselessly barren country* 
and reported accordingly. It was also found that the 
wool she produced was inferior in quality. These and 
similar circumstances resulted in turning the people’s 
attention to agricultural pursuits, and the policy of 
the country was of eourse directed to the best means of 
turning her agricultural capabilities to account. With 
regard to fertility of soil and adaptability of climate, 
I am of opinion that South Australia has not tho 
slightest advantage; indeed, with regard to the latter, 
I am inclined tolhink that she has a disadvantage, as 
compared with her three sister colonies. 
Asa wheat producing countiy, South Australia most 
certainly deserves to be placed first amongst the four 
colonies,—and this proud position she owes, in some 
degree, to the peseverance, energy, and foresight of 
her people ; it does not, however follow, that they are 
more pei-severing-, energetic, or foreseeing than others. 
But concentration is one of the most powerful causes 
which has operated not only to give Adelaide wheat 
the reputation of being the best m the world, but has 
also enabled them to cultivate their wheat, and sell 
their flour to their neighbours* in spite of foreign com* 
petition, and to do this profitably in spite of gold- 
