182 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ava., 1901. 
The benefits derived from drainage you should also keep in mind. Learn 
the following twelve :— 
. Draining removes stagnant water from the surface and subsoil. 
. It lengthens the season; well-drained land can be worked much 
sooner after rain. 
. It deepens the soil. 
. It warms the soil by stopping evaporation. 
. It equalises the temperature of the soil. 
. It carries down soluble substances to the roots of the plants. 
. It prevents injury from drought and wet. 
. It improves the quality and quantity of the crops. 
. It increases the effect of the manures. 
. It prevents the heaving of the soil. 
11. It helps to prevent disease im plants. 
. It increases the general health of the locality. 
OPMAU Sw Nr 
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Questions on Lesson ‘7. 
What does drainage do for the soil ? 
What results from alow temperature of the soil ? 
Describe an experiment to show this ? ; : 
How does drainage affect the fertilisers brought from the atmosphere 
by the rain? 
5. Has drainage any effect in preventing frost ? 
6. How can you tell when drainage is necessary ? 
Bow h 
THE COSME COLONY, PARAGUAY. 
The Cosme Colony, founded in 1894, by a number of Australian colonists 
anxious to form a communistic settlement, in which all property except personal 
effects should be held in common, has, since its establishment, passed through 
many vicissitudes. Co-operative and communistic societies appear theoretically 
to answer all the requirements of the human race. Practically the success of 
such communes has always proved a dream of Utopia. It was not long before 
dissension arose amongst the members. These dissensions began even on 
board the ship which carried the enthusiasts from these shores to the blissful 
colony that was to be. They lost sight of the fact that where any laws—either 
under a monarchy, a republic, or in a socialistic commune—are made for the 
benefit and protection of the people, there must be someone to administer 
those laws; and further, the administrator, that he may not develop into a 
despot, must be guided and restrained by others chosen by the people for the 
purpose. Callthisadministratorand these chosen onesa governor anda parliament, 
2 king and his ministers, or an elder and his co-elders, the result isthe same. They 
are the rulers of the people pro fem., and they rule by the will of thepeople, who 
yoluntarily subject themselves to them so long as they rule wisely and carry 
out the will of the people. Absolute equality—liberty, equality, and 
fraternity—cannot exist in any community under the sun, hence none can 
wonder at the failure of the Paraguayan visionaries to establish a thriving 
commune. Eventually those who did not abandon their Utopia in disgust 
settled in what is now known as the Cosme Colony. To reach it the traveller 
has a long river journey to the town of Asuncion, thence a day’s journey by 
rail to the nearest railway station, and, finally, an ox-cart journey of 20 miles 
to the colony. It is seven years since the colony was founded by Mr. W. 
Lane, who has since abandoned it himself. Still, it lives on with a population 
of twenty-eight men, eighteen women, and thirty-seven children. These all 
live ina village which is laid out to cover in the far-away future (if ever) 
66 acres. The total amount of clearing done during the seven years of the 
colony’s existence is 150 acres. Maize and sugar-cane, mandioea, and fruit are 
grown. ‘The live stock consists of cattle, horses, pigs, poultry, &e. To sum 
