1 1Man, 1900.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTULAL JOURNAL. 165 
The Farmers and the Fodder. 
pe stil vexed question of the disposal of the wheaten hay crop on the 
| m2 Downs brings foreibly to the front the advantages of co-operation. 
| nee pertment of Agriculture has gone to considerable trouble and expense 
i fens some means of relieving the farmers of the large quantity of hay 
0 ortunately thrown on their hands as a consequence vf the heavy frosts of 
pace ber last year. The Under Secretary (Mr. McLean) visited the Downs 
"ng the month of J: anuary, and invited the farmers to meet him and discuss 
|} hog estion in all its aspects. The response to this invitation was very half- 
no d. In two or three localities —large farming centres—so little did the 
Hers care to help themselves that the attendance at three meetings amounted 
Be we, Seven, and three respectively. ‘To those who attended, Mr. McLean 
eared fully and clearly the position and action of the Department of 
q 
| H ulture. He told them in unmistakable terms that the Department would 
| om edertake to purchase the fodder. What it would do, and had been 
| cee cally doing for some time past, was to ascertain where the best markets 
| vag to be found, and at what cost the produce could be placed on them. There 
f ‘Te mon that the whole of it could easily be placed in South Africa, 
[ ud to the great demand for forage for the large numbers of horses, mules, 
Li ullocks employed by the British army at the Cape and in Natal. This 
she ession we also shared at the outset; but when full inquiry was made into 
| Pate ee there obtainable, the cost of preparing the fodder for shipment, the 
ite, Talage, dumping, storage, receiving and delivering, oversea freight, 
Ree, cartage, and commission, it was found that no profit whatever 
temain to the farmer who shipped his produce to South Africa. 
| comes ll this Mr. McLean clearly explained, quoting figures to prove the 
1 the tess of his conclusions. It might be said that by co-operation amongst 
| Buys mers a steamer might have been chartered to take over a trial cargo. 
all Peuity, showed, first, that no vessel would be available for some months, 
; ore ony being fully engaged for a long time ahead; and, even if a vessel 
Foun Ae be obtained, the charter money would amount to some thousands of 
*, Which would have to be paid in cash in advance. 
| best thi, South African scheme having thus been proved to be illusory, the next 
| Minis mg to do was what the Railway Department, after consultation with the 
| Brod ter for Agriculture, has actually done—that is, the freights on farmers’ 
~ heen “Sent to Brisbane to be forwarded to Northern and Western markets have 
Tey seduced by 333 per cent. This fact may have been the reason for the small 
on nee of the farmers to Mr. McLean’s invitation to the meetings. Now, 
4 me the whole of this matter have been arranged by the farmers them- 
the- t Tough their district associations—such as that really live association, 
mq Stern Downs Horticultural and Agricultural Association, the Drayton 
Tow °Owoomba Society, the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland at 
| ton °omba, the National Association at Brisbane, the Central Downs Associa- 
tnd others 2 
8a oy Lendency to lean on the Government—to be wet-nursed, so to speak— 
| ay Well wus evil. It tends to weaken the individual energies of the farmers, 
| Yay “8 to lessen the activity of the agricultural societies. If a merchant has 
 {on, tantity of any product on hand—either owing to having over-bought or to 
| bfo d Top in prices—he does not fly for relief to the Government and denounce 
hy Wo lining to take the goods off his hands. Yet, on the farmers’ principle, 
tion, have just as much right to that assistance as they. In times of 
¥en, al disaster doubtless it is the duty of the Government to come to the 
[ Wing 4S is done by the Indian and Russian Governments at this moment, 
| °® famine in those countries. But that any small section of a body of 
| - Nould 
