MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE AND ART. 
253 
digging wages. Thu most important agricultural dis¬ 
tricts of South Australia were originally laid^ out and 
sold in small blocks, called sections, varying from 
forty to eighty acres each. Amongst these the excur¬ 
sionist may walk for miles, and seo on either side ot 
him cultivated farms, side by side, without a blank 
spot* This concentration of farmers enables one to 
profit by the practice and experience ot another, and 
for this cause alone should always bo followed in a 
young country, where, most likely, the new settler has 
not only much to learn, but much to unlearn, before 
he can be said to understand his business. 
Some years ago I visited South Australia, at which 
time she was not much talked about as an agricultural 
colony, and the farms, of course, were fewer and far¬ 
ther between. On this occasion I frequently saw wheat 
crops growing in the forest, amongst the trees; the 
land had been ploughed, no doubt, as well as it could 
be, under such circumstances, and in most cases I 
found, the owners of these crops were Germans; and 
they explained to me that the trees were left standing 
to shade the wheat from the too powerful rays of the 
sun. I guess and calculate, as brother Jonathan has 
it, that no such farming is to be seen there now. These 
farmers would, by comparison, as soon as neighbours 
came, correct their error. The other great agricul¬ 
tural benefits arising from concentration have been 
already explained, and therefore need not be further 
alluded to at present. 
On the whole, I have cotne to the conclusion, that 
any one of the four Australian colonies spoken of, 
could produce wheat and other grain as well as South 
Australia, and would have done so if policy had been 
pursued in that direction at as early a stage in their 
history, or if concentration could now be carried out 
to a similar extent, as no doubt it will be, some day. 
In the meantime, it is our duty to do all we can to 
enlighten the farmers we have, with regard to the im- 
improvements taking place all over the world, as well 
as with regard to those takiug place amongst ourselves ; 
and when this society is enabled to carry out its con¬ 
templated experimental fartn and garden, no doubt it 
will be conducted in such a manner as to afford the 
very best model for fanners to follow. 
THE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF 
NEW SOUTH WALES. 
The first meeting for the year of the members of 
this Society took place within the Australian 
Library, Bent-street, on Wednesday, 12tb inst., 
when an interesting conversazione succeeded to 
the formal business of presenting the financial 
report, and electing office-bearers for the current 
year. About fifty gentlemen were present. The 
President (Sir W. Denison) having taken tire 
chair, stated briefly the objects of the meeting. 
He congratulated the Society upon its increase 
of mem'ers, now amounting to 174. Some 
papers of great interest had been given during 
the past year, and he trusted those presen 
would consider it their duty, not only to attend 
the meetings, hut also to contribute information, 
not for the Society alone but for the public at 
large. He might say the results of their past 
meetings had been fairly reported, both by the 
newspapers and the Sydney Magazine. The num¬ 
ber of papers read during the past year was 
eleven. The state of the funds of the Society 
was very satisfactory. The expenses had not 
been great, and the Council had been enabled to 
purchase four debentures of £100 each. The 
subscriptions would he more than sufficient to 
meet expenses, and he might say there was a 
growing capital. The Council bad considered 
the advisability of offering premiums for essays, 
and he had no doubt the matter would be again 
brought forward. It had been found desirable 
to appoint a paid secretary: the duties being too 
onerous for tbe honorary secretaries to undertake. 
It only remained forhimtooxpress a hope that the 
Society, having progressed so favourably, would 
continue to furnish valuable aid to science. He 
hoped the members would do their best to con¬ 
tribute what facts occurred to them. He might 
say it was a great mistake to write long essays. 
Details were of much importance: time, season 
place, and everything likely to influence a 
result, were necessary to he faithfully noted, 
and upon facts scientific men could reason. His 
Excellency called upon the Honorary Treasurer 
to read the following 
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 
30tii APRIL* 1858. 
RECEirTS. 
At the credit of the Society in the 
Union Bank, on 30th April, 1857. £339 6 4 
Entrance fees.£40 19 0 
Annual subscriptions .... 163 16 0 
Interest from the Bank ... 1 1 8 
■- 205 16 8 
£545 3 0 
DISBURSEMENTS. 
Stationery and printing . £7 1 g 
Advertising . 8 12 6 
A black board to be used in illustrat¬ 
ing papers read to the Society. 4 15 0 
Refreshments, &c., at the opening 
meeting.. 11 50 
Hire of hall and lights., r . 41 0 0 
Postages. 0 10 0 
Twenty-five copies of Sydney Maga¬ 
zine, at Us . 13 ]5 0 
Commission to the collector . 15 4 0 
Balance in the Union Bank. 443 0 0 
£545 3 0 
R. A. A. Morehead, Treasurer. 
12th May, 1858. Audited and approved. 
Andrew Bonar, 
Alfred Roberts, 
j Auditors. 
The Chairman then read extracts fro.m a very 
valuable paper presented to the Society by 
Captain Ward, ll.E., “ On the Strength and Elas¬ 
ticity of Woods of New South Wales and New 
Zealand and explained to the meeting the 
manner by which the results of the experiments 
had been obtained. 
One candidate (Major Wingate), proposed at 
last meeting, was duly elected; and two new 
candidates were nominated. 
The following objects of interest were laid out 
for the inspection of members :— 
Contributed by Sir W. T. Denison, K.C.B.—. 
Blackwood's series of Photographic Views, taken 
from St. Mark’s Darling Point. 
By the Hon. E. Deas Thomson, Esq., C.B,— 
Eight Photographs, consisting of— 
1. The Laocoon in the Vatican. The work 
of three Rhodian sculptors, Agesander, Poly- 
dorus, and Athenodorus. 
2. Arch of Septimius Sevcrus, and part of the 
Homan Forum. 
3. The Colosseum of Rome. 
