=a 
as 
102 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 1 Ave., 1898.] 
STATE EXPERIMENT FARM FOR SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND. 
[By J. E. Noakes, Maryborough. ] 
The paper I have the honour to bring before you, though last on the list, is, from 
my point of view, the most important brought before this Conference—firstly. because 
the sugar industry is such a large and important one, employing more labour than any 
other industry in the colony, except gold. Take the estimate for the year—namely, 
130,000 tons. That, at £10 per ton, amounts to £1,300,000. Of this at least 
£1,200,000 will be paid away in labour and machinery. So it is patent to anyone the 
industry is a large one, and entitled to some consideration. When we consider the extent 
of our coast line—over 1,000 miles—along which sugar can be grown, this return of 
130,000 tons could be brought up to 1,000,000. We have the land to do so, if we can onl y 
get the proper varieties of cane to suit the different districts. Twice has the industry 
been nearly wiped out. ‘The first time was in the seventies, when the Bourbon (which 
was the favourite cane) tock the rust, with the result that nearly every planter and grower 
wasruined. The second time was about four years ago, when the gumming threatened 
to end the reign of the Rappoe. Now, under these circumstances, | and other planters 
think it is the duty of the Government to establish an experiment farm in the 
Southern districts for the purpose of, either by grafting, seedlings, budding, selections, 
&e., producing a good strong healthy cane suitable for the Southern districts—one 
which will stand the frost, rust, &c. Private individuals cannot do this. Life is too 
short for one man to experiment and bring it to a satisfactory conclusion. yen if 
he did, he would not be appreciated. I, with others, during the gum scare, began to 
look out for a cane to replace the Rappoe. I saw in the papers that a cane called the 
Daniel Dupont was the cane likely to suit. It was grown on the Ri-hmond and 
Clarence Rivers, and went over 100 tons per acre, was gum proof, and of high density. 
This we thought was the cane for us. We got some, and it cost us over £30 to get 
enough to plant one half-acre. It has turned out a failure with us. Then we saw 
that the White Bamboo was gum proof, of high density, and everything to suit us. 
We, as usual, got some, planted it on the Mary and Burnett Rivers, also at the Isis 
and Woongarra. This cane gave good plant crops, but has not turned out a good 
ratooner, and was equally gummy with the Rappoe, and. was also subject to frost. In 
fact, it has turned out 2 failure so far. While in Brisbane about the same time— 
about four years ago--I saw a gentleman from New Guinea. He told me he knew of 
thirty different sorts growing at his place, some of them 40 feet long. (Loud 
laughter.) I at once took him to Mr. McLean; and after interviewing him, he gave 
the names of about twenty different sorts. The Department sent up an agent to 
obtain some. He, I am led to believe, did not go to the place, but gave some of the 
natives a fig of tobacco to bring him some canes. These, on arriving at Mackay, were 
found to have the borer, and were subsequently destroyed. ‘Che Departinent sent up 
again in conjunction with, I believe, the New South Wales Government, and obtained 
some sixty different varieties, with what result I cannot say; but I am led to believe 
that most of them are a failure, I think through want of the proper man—-I mean an 
expert whose time should be devoted to this subject only. While on the Richmond last 
year [ visited the New South Wales experiment farm, and found that they had over 
sixty different kinds—all properly named and date of planting affixed—out of which 
-I chose about twenty, and they are now growing at the Woongarra. These are my 
reasons for stating that we should have a Government experiment farm in the Isis 
district, because it would be central and could be seen at any time. The beet has 
been improved, say from 8 to 10 per cent., by experiments. Why should not sugar- 
cane be also improved? It ig the opinion of planters that it can be done, and that the 
Government should take the matter in hand. (Applause.) 
Drscusston. 
Mr. E. Deyaran (Mackay), in order that some of the gentlemen present 
might thoroughly understand the position of the cane-sugar industry in relation 
to the continental bounty system, read the following extracts from the report 
of an interview between a representative of the Financial News and Mr. 
Quintin Hogg, a gentleman largely interested in sugar in British Guiana. 
Tt would help to show them the position in which the sugar planters in those 
countries were placed, and that their troubles were not due to antiquated 
machinery or methods, as had been alleged by some, but to what was distinctly 
unfair trade. The extracts in question ran :— 
Mr. Quintin Hogg summed the whole difficulty up in the word “ bounties.” 
“The effect upon the West Indies is that we are driven out of the market. 
America is now almost our last hope, and every little rise in price brings European 
sugar across, owing to the low freight rates. In addition, we have to fight the bounty- 
