258 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Sepr., 1899. 
{ 
Queensland. Argentina, 
Cr. Lisa ds py ih th 
By sale of 2,400 bushels maize, at 3s. per bushel... +h el eESGOMOMO 
v Pumpkins m es ie re fe 47 | 100 0 0 
D) Sundries... es oe cee . 1 45 Be 60 0 0 
520 0 0 
» Sundries... Eh np: 2c sp Seth ie bel = 57 0 0 
Less cost of maize production... of AS 1. £95 0°90 
Dr. balance on wheat ree fr LD ate .. 16017 10 19718 8 
= 2551710 | 
Cr, balance ot at ae ih gic es fe Es yt PR 1) 
Dr. balance af. ar: oe au #0 rr “i ty: 140 18 8 
It will be seen that there is not a large margin of difference between the 
cost of producing a first crop of wheat in either country. The difference of 
£72 18s. 11d. in the expenditure from start to finish at the seaport market, may 
be set down to extra labour, so that, practically, the cost in both cases may be 
said to be the same. Here, however, the equality ceases. We find that the 
yield at the rate of about 17 bushels per acre (as given in the Argentine 
statistics) is 2,933 bushels, although at 17 bushels per acre the yield should be 
2,720 bushels. However, for purposes of comparison we will accept the former 
yield. For this the farmer in the Argentine obtains about 2s. 9d. per bushel. 
The Queenslander sells at 3s. 6d. per bushel, and when the crop is finally dis- 
osed of the Queenslander finds himself £37 Os. 10d. ahead of the Argentine 
armer, and to come out clear at the end of the year, or even at the end 
of fifteen months, the latter has to make up £197 1ss. 8d., and the former 
£160 17s. 10d. 
According to the excellent statistics of Mr. William Goodwin, an eminent 
authority in Buenos Ayres, we learn that the total return from extra crops of 
maize, sale of calves, poultry, &c., together with the net earnings of the colonia 
in the Argentine by ploughing and carting when not employed on his own land, 
amounts in all to £57. Here it is where the Queensland farmer outstrips his 
South American rival. 
When the wheat harvest is over, say in December, the farmer at once 
ploughs up the stubble and gets in a crop of maize, not perhaps on the whole 
160 acres, but, say, on 60 acres. Amongst the corn he sows pumpkins. It 
seems that this after-crop is not obtainable by the Argentine tarmer, or his 
additional return would be more than £57 all told. Now the yield from this 
maize crop, which may be off the ground in time for sowing late wheat, or, if 
not, to be laid down in lucerne in July or August, will, at a low average, amount 
to 40 bushels per acre: 60 acres, at 40 bushels per acre, are 2,400 bushels. The 
sale price being 8s. per bushel, his gross return is £360. But this is not all. 
The pumpkins must be reckoned an asset worth at least £100, whether sold or 
used for feeding dairy cattle and pigs. Furthermore, the Queenslander can sell, 
say, 6 calves, 12 pigs, 100 dozen eggs, 1,000 lb. of butter, besides, perhaps, some 
honey, vegetables, poultry, which will bring in, say, £60 during the year, not 
counting a possible sale of wheat, straw, and chaff. 
Now the two accounts show the Argentine farmer to have still to make up 
£140 18s. 8d., whilst the Queensland farmer has placed to his credit in fifteen 
months £264 2s. 2d, which will carry him over his next year’s expenditure. 
Both, however, still owe respectively £570 and £240 on the purchase money of 
the land. ; 
Summarising the above, it will be seen that the Queenslander has expended 
£769 8s. 4d., and has realised £1,033 5s. 6d., leaving a credit balance of 
£264 2s. 2d. after clearing off his liability of £160 17s. 10d. on his wheat crop. 
The Argentine farmer has expended £601 4s. 5d., and has realised £460 5s. 9d., 
leaving a debit balance of £140 Iss. 8d. 
