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1 May, 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 327 
Acriculture. 
BUCKWHEAT. 
By HENRY A. TARDENT, 
Manager of the Biggenden Experiment Farm. 
Tue specialisation of labour in the mechanical industries and in other branches 
of human activity has, of recent years, penetrated also into agriculture. There 
are now in various countries (especially in the United States of America) a 
great many farmers who think that better results can be achieved by growing 
one crop only on the farm, and by sticking to it through thick and thin. 
Such a method of farming has no doubt its attractive sides as well as its 
good points to recommend it, The one-crop farmer gets more skilful-in the 
growing and handling of his special crop; he can use for it the most improved 
machinery and appliances. Such farming becomes sometimes, so to say, 
unavoidable where there is in the neighbourhood a sugar-mill for instance, or 
other industrial factories requiring large quantities of a- special raw product, 
thus affording to the farmer a sure and reliable market. There is no doubt 
that, at least for a time, some money is being made in that way. I will even 
admit that the single-crop farmer handles more money than the one who grows 
many crops. But does he put more of it into the savings bank? That is 
another question. Usually the whole concern ends in failure and in financial 
disaster.* 
Soon or later the unavoidable fluctuation in prices renders the special 
crop unremunerative. As the farmer has to buy everything he uses and to pay 
in’cash for it, he soon runs into debt. Being unprepared for growing and 
handling other crops, he usually sticks to the old one until discouragement and 
ruin ensue. He then abandons farming altogether or emigrates elsewhere, as 
do now many Victorian and South Australian single-crop wheatgrowers ; others 
gradually revert to the old, well-tried, and proved system of mixed farming. 
Could the land of the farm be consulted on the subject, it would decide most 
emphatically in fayour of mixed farming and rotation of crops. The land rebels 
in every way against the single-crop system. As a constant protest, it will 
year by year diminish its production, and will finally bear crops of so weak a 
constitution that they become invariably the prey of innumerable parasitic and 
fungoid diseases. 
The above axioms wre well known to all practical farmers. But the farm- 
ing community, especially in this country, is not exclusively composed of 
practical farmers.t It recruits itself from all other trades and professions, 
including doctors and lawyers. These new hands at farming are usually most 
eager for information, and they not seldom prove to be very progressive and 
successful farmers. ‘Their first question is always, “‘ What shall I go in for in 
order to make a success of my farming?” And my invariable-reply to them 
is, ‘‘ Go in for mixed farming.” Try to grow on the farm as many as possible 
of the things-you require for your own and your family’s use. Wherever 
pagcuicable, make dairying, pig and poultry raising the basis of your farming. 
erhaps there are no great fortunes in it, at least for the present. But it has 
an invaluable advantage—it gives a regular monthly return which will keep 
* We presume that the writer does not include sugar, wheat, dairy products, coffee, rice 
and bananas in this comminatory clause. Queensland farmers ho devote their entire energies 
to these products have not up to the present abandoned them, except in isolated instances.—Kd. 
AS. ; - 
+ Hence the failures.—-Hd. Q..4.Je 
