‘endeavour. ~ Paes 
‘struggle for a place in the markets of the world, how much more so is it neces- 
_ creation is a clear intimation that the people of Queensland desire it to become 
_ the varying degrees of skill and knowledge possessed by our existing farmers — 
young and old. : 
ciples of agriculture. 
_ dissemination of their own acquired knowledge. ‘They will be able to fill, when ~ 
obtainable variety of seed and crop likely to be suitable for successful culture 
‘happily to be found in every farming district in the colony, and skill with fa 
‘industry generally spells success. But, on the other hand, there are farmers _ 
who have settled on our lands without adequate previous training, and who 
frequently are discouraged by failure in the face of hard work and earnest 
If the skilled and successful farmer has need to prepare for the coming Vai, 
sary for the comparatively inexperienced farmer to sit down and think out the 
problem of the early future ? 
It is at this stage that the Department of Agriculture has come into 
existence, and such is the condition of affairs that it has to cope with. Its 
a great agricultural country, able to sustain a successful struggle with all — 
other countries whose competition it has to meet. That is concisely the aim 
and object of all Queenslanders who have faith in the enduring prosperity of Paes 
the country. eS 
The first duty of such a department is to take the initiative in agricultural 
education. ‘l'o provide it for the young people growing up, is only part of the 
werk, If the education is coufined to the young, the process of improvement. — 
of agriculture will be very slow in producing good results. But for them it is i 
of extreme importance, and should be of the best possible character. Provision 
must also be made for spreading knowledge amongst those older in life. There 
is no agriculturist living that has not something more to learn, and with us 
open a wide field for the labours of the specialists and instructors of the 
Department. And then comes a new class of settlers from other countries and 
colonies. They have had no previous local expetience, and without the early — 
guidance of competent men they would be liable to make mistakes involving 
serious loss, Wor immediate purposes the supply to these men, as wellasof a __ 
large proportion of our older settlers, of reliable information as to the best 
crops to grow and the best way to treat them, isan urgent necessity. The 
Department must lend its energies to meet the requirements of all classes, 
It is not proposed to make any special reference here to the teaching of — 
the principles of agriculture in our common schools, though much might be — 
done in that way. Beyond advising the Department of Public Instruction, the — 
field of operation of the Department of Agriculture is necessarily somewhat 
limited at present. By-and-by it may be feasible to give some of the State | 
school teachers in agricultural districts courses of practical instruction, which’ 
would aid them in imparting to their pupils at least a desire to learn the prin- 
For the present, however, there is some provision for the training in both 
practical and scientific agriculture of youths at the Gatton College. The 
Department is prepared to make ample provision for accommodating all suit- 
able candidates for admission to it. The best teachers obtainable have. 
been engaged, and the course of study is wide enough for all purposes. 
Students who complete the course will have a sound general knowledge, and 
they may be expected in their turn by example, if not by precept, to aid in the 
required, positions of trust in the Department as overseers of State farms, and 
otherwise, and when they commence farming on their own accounts their farms 
will be, it is hoped, only a.degree less useful object lessons to their neighbours 
than State farms would be. 
After the College, which will serve many useful purposes for expe rimenting = 
as wellas teaching, come the State farms, some of which arealready in existence 
in preparatory stages, and others in early contemplation. At these, every 
in each district will be tried and rigidly tested, and the results made known by 
ocular demonstration to visitors and by the publication periodically of the. 
