1 Ocr., 1897.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 275 
Progress at the Queensland Agricultural College. 
Work at the College is progressing apace under the management of Principal 
Shelton and his staff: Less than fourteen months ago, the site was a virgin 
forest. There was not a fence nor a building on the whole property. To-day, 
a visit to the College discloses.a very different state of affairs. The principal 
buildings have already been fully described in the first number of this journal. 
We wish now to show more particularly what has been and is being done to 
make the institution a practical educative establishment. The whole site, 
comprising 1,672 acres, is enclosed by a substantial fence, and for the present 
has been subdivided into six sections, all of which are securely fenced. The 
principal work then undertaken was clearing and getting the land ready for 
cropping. Last year the time was too short to allow of any extensive 
planting, but a beginning was made with maize and vegetables—the former was 
utilised in the silo, and the latter for home use and for sale of any surplus. 
Since then, nearly 300 acres have been broken up. Of this, 50 acres— 
possibly 100—will be put under maize, and the balance will be cropped 
as considered most advantageous. Almost the whole of the work has been 
performed by the students, and it is gratifying to notice the zeal and 
ardour with which these young men throw themselves into -their work, 
some portions of which, such as road-making, stumping, &c., are very 
laborious. They take a hand in all the work, but by a judicious system of 
“rotation” they are prevented from being wearied of any particular 
employment. For instance, a squad of six, eight, or ten will be engaged in class 
work under one of the masters during the morning. These in the afternoon 
go into the field, and the working party of the morning forms the classes for 
the afternoon. At 6 a.m. the bell rings, and ina short time the hive is astir. 
Tools are served out, and all but the ploughing squad get to work at some 
useful employment near the house until breakfast time, 8 a.m. Meanwhile 
the horses have been fed and groomed, the cattle and swine attended to, and all 
is ready for the solid business of the day directly after the morning meal, 
which is substantial, well cooked, and neatly served. It should be mentioned 
that at 7 a.m. Mr. Shelton holds an “ assembly,” at which all are present, 
unless specially exempted. At this assembly the orders of the day are given 
out, and the students receive ten minutes of wholesome advice and instruction 
from the Principal on the subjects of morality, deportment, duties towards 
each other and to the authorities, &¢.—an excellent practice which cannot fail 
to have a good effect on the present and future lives of the students. 
The favourite employment is ploughing, and it is remarked that should any 
lad, by an oversight, be passed over when his turn at the stilts has arrived, he 
promptly notifies the fact to the Principal, and so gets his grievance redressed. 
We noticed one young lad, not of very powerful physique, ploughing with three 
horses, and doing very creditable work. Mr. Shelton said that this student 
nad never had a plough in his hand before that day. He will probably be 
heard of by-and-by us a prize-taker at ploughing matches. Several of the 
pupils are engaged in building a frame-house for the overseer, and the work is 
very well done. Nearer home, two lads are engaged, under the superintendence 
of Mr. Quadling, the overseer, in pulling down trees by the help of the 
“ forest devil,’ and they make very short work of it; severalacres have been 
cleared in this manner since the introduction of this valuable implement. It 
is worked by one horse, one man, and two students. 
The road-makers are hard at work forming a roadway leading straight 
from Lockyer Creek up to the College. This is being blinded with sandstone 
taken from the well lately sunk. Others are forming a road from the College 
quad. to the main Gatton road. It is quite evident that all work in this line 
is being done on a settled plan with a view to future convenience. 
