The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-31
AUSTRALASIA.

Wheat is being bought in this market for
shipment to Australia. This has only hap
pened two or three times before in the past
ten or fifteen years, and must be regarded
as an accident like the present importat ions
of corn from Australia for consumption in
this State.
OF the seven colonies constituting the
Australian Confederation three-Vic toria,
South Australia and New Zealand-produce
a surplus Of wheat while the other four
New South Wales, Queensland, West Aus
tralia and misunderstanding more VIII eat
than they produce, and are dependent upon
the sister colonies and foreign nations for
their supply. The total product of the
seven colonies is estimated this year at
80 244,0 GOO bushels, and the total consump-
ton, including the requirement for seed, is
about 81 ,O0o. 900 bushels. But this is so I'M
evenly divided, and the foreign demand for
particular brands of New Zealand and Vic
toria wheat is so peremptory, that the con-
federation figures simultaneously as an ex-
porter and importer of wheat.
New South Wales, for instance, will re-
quire this year TO import 100000 bushels
of wheat. while its nearest neighbor-Vic-
tOria-will have 100000 bushels available
for export. 1t would seem the most natural
thing in the world that Victoria should sup
ply her neighbor's deficiency. She does SO,
in effect, to some extent; but no small pro-
portion of the wants Of New South Wales
is going to be supplied from New York,
and small proportion from here, while
Melbourne is loading ships with wheat for
Liverpool. New Zealand raises this year
7,6J6,000 bushels and consumes 4,172, 900
bushels leaving $4,000 bushels available
for export. BIT the bulk of the surplus, in
stead of being carried 1000 miles to Sydney,
| takes the long ocean trip to Cork or Liver
pool.
Whether Australasia will ever become a
great wheat-exportiHg country Is doubtful.
In New Zealand the soil is especially
adapted to the growth OF cereals; the aver
age wheat product is over twenty-four
bushels to the acre. But in Australia
proper it is less than eleven bushels. Vic
| toria raises some fine wheat, but the aver
| age yield is only trife over ten bushels to
the acre, and that of South Australia Just
| 6.59 bushels. Queensland, whose surface is
largely table-land, with a good depth of
| aiiuvlum, does not show up much better.
| OF course, with a larger population, Aus
| tralasia would contribute more than her
| present proportion of the worlds wheat
! supply, which may be given as per cent OF
the whole; but the indications are that the
tide of European migration to that part of
the globe has ceased to flow. for the pres
ent, and the AsatIc migration has been
stopped by law. If we call the present
| population of the new confederation four
millions, it may be many years before it
| contains as many souls as New York State.
Men do not move TO the Antipodes without
very good reasons
Still. the Australians are thorough peo-
pie. Whatever they undertake they do
well. They have beaten the world in WOOL
growing; there are no finer, cleaner, brighter
fleeces shown in Leicestershire than in parts
of Australia. They have reduced the bust
ness to an exact science. The focks are
raised, nursed, fed and shepherded for the
sole purpose of producing fine grade of
woodland they produce it. An Australian
is amazed when he witnesses the hap