488 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 June, 1898. 
MACKAY DISTRICT. ; 
Exorrent weather has again been our portion during the past four weeks, and 
the crops have made still further progress, and are likely now to come up to 
the most sanguine expectations. Preparations for an early start of work in 
the mills are being pushed on rapidly, while there is some trepidation amongst 
the farmers as to whether all the crops will be taken off. J 
Amongst recent visitors were Mr. McCulloch, of the Works Department, 
making an inspection of the mills built under the Sugar Works Guarantee 
Act, and Mr. Mueller, the chemist of Bingera plantation, Bundaberg. The 
latter was impressed with the large extent of the district, but not with the 
appearance of the cultivation, or the weight of the crops, neither of which in 
his opinion compared fayourably with Bundaberg. By the way, he reports the 
most excellent results this year from drainage at Bingera, a matter which will 
be of great interest to local farmers. Another interesting hint I picked up in 
conversation was that good results have been obtained by manuring with the 
waste liquor from meatworks, superphosphate being added immediately 
afterwards. This is worth noting by farmers near the Victoria meatworks. 
A good many improvements are being put into the mills. Pleystowe has 
added 64,000 gallons of tank-room, a new vacuum pan, pump, clarifier, boiler, 
and is lengthening the intermediate carrier so as to secure better maceration. 
The Marian Central, under the new manager, Mr. Gibson, is also makin 
extensive additions and alterations. Both mills will make a crop of 4,000 tons 
each or thereabouts, and will probably be put to it to get all the cane treated 
by the end of the year. 
The most important event of the past four weeks has been a visit from 
the Minister for Agriculture, who, with his colleague the Minister for Public 
Instruction, spent a week inspecting the central mills, amongst other duties.. 
The administration of the Sugar Works Guarantee Act, formerly in the hands 
of the latter, as head of the Works Department, is now going into the hands 
of the Agricultural Department, and the head of that department closely 
inspected all the mills along the line which he might be called upon to deal 
with. In the course of some public utterances Mr. Chataway made the 
interesting statement that, though a small beginning only could be made, he 
proposed to put a laboratory at the present State Nursery, and immediatel 
initiate a series of experiments of value to the sugar industry. Both Ministers 
also emphasised the fact that the further extension of the provisions of the 
‘Sugar Works Guarantee Act depended upon the present companies fulfilling 
their obligations to the Government.—Mackay Sugar Journal. . 
} PROSERPINE. 
Arrrr an unusually capricious April, heavy showers and cloudy skies 
alternating with brief intervals of fine weather, the advent of May accompanied 
by hot sunny days is an agreeable change. The much-needed bright sunshine 
has produced a marked effect upon the cane, which is making vigorous growth, 
pie. the district generally is looking its best, the grass being very luxuriant 
this year. 
No reports are yet to hand of damage to the canefields through grubs, 
and I hope we may enjoy our present immunity from this pest, at all events 
until our farmers are in a position to stand a percentage of loss through this 
source. } 
A great factor in checking the ravages of grubs in this district we 
fortunately possess in our immense flocks of wild birds inimical to the cane 
grub, and the large flocks of ibis, crow, plover, &e., always following the 
plough in this distriet do great execution. One of the earliest measures of our 
Farmers’ Association was to cause the Act for the protection of these birds to 
be stringently enforced in this district. 
There is still a large area of first-class land available for purchase at £5 
per acre with easy terms, and more farmers are badly needed.—Lbid. 
