Queenslander News Budget (Brisbane, Qld.: 1908 – 1918; 1920), Saturday, 31 July 1909, page 16
AMONG THE SOUTH QUEENSLAND FARMERS
On an up-to-date farm, when the head of the family dies, the sons take up the end of the rope where father left off, and go on just the same. This has been the case with the Dilger family, Kirchheim, whose family were one of the old pioneers of this part of Kirchheim. The farm is worked in a most skilful manner, and being one of the highest points of the district it is seldom that frost is seen there.
Left – DILGER’S SILVER TAIL Right – MR. DILGER’S USEFUL DRAUGHT STALLION.
The homestead was first taken up by Mr. Fleschman about 40 years ago and Dilger, junior, says the soil is as productive as ever. He showed me a crop of wheat about 3ft. high on the poorest part of his land, and I am sure it would hold its own with any on the Downs.
About two years ago they took £91 off eight acres of sugar cane; this year being dry, the cows will do the crushing. They grow a variety of crops, but chiefly for the dairy herd. W. H. Dilger, the eldest son, manages the farm for his mother and family; he has a natural love for horses, and the photo, of the two stallions shows him to be a no small judge of same. What I like about his draft stallion, is that when the season is off the stallion is in the plough; a stallion that does his share of the farm work during the non season is a surer foal getter than the stallion that is stall fed the whole year through.
No farmer was more pleased to see the rain last week than the “Budget” West Moreton correspondent. The rain was very welcome, but the Minden and Marburg farmers are satisfied as far as the ground is concerned, but their dams have not received much benefit; but as I travel through the West Moreton district, I see that it is a great deal their own fault, as their dams are not inclosed. All dams ought to be fenced in, and the water pumped up to the cattle every day.
HOMES OF THE SCHUBELS, SENIOR AND JUNIOR.
Mr. Schubel’s piggery is the most up-to-date one I have seen in my travels: and the pigs are of the best breed, both Yorkshire and Berkshire. Mr. W. Schubel, senior, who purchased this holding about 33 years ago, has now retired, and, as the photo shows, has a lovely home adjoining his son’s, where he can watch the new methods of farming which are so much in advance of the old style. Schubel finds the imphee the best all-round crop for his dairy herd; it requires less rain, and stands the frost better.
After a short stay at Schubel’s I made a call on H. Grulke, of Marburg; and one only has to look back about 14 years ago, and think of maize at 9d. to 1/3 per bushel, butler at 3d. to 4d. per lb., eggs 6d. a dozen, and all produce taken out in goods; but now eggs are bought at the door at 1/3, corn brings in a good cheque every month, and now the family can go out in a lovely trap, pulled by two good horses. What a transformation has come over for the man upon the land.
MR. GRULKE, OF MARBURG. READY FOR THE CITY.
Mr. Grulke, senior, left his native country in 1877, and first went to the Logan, and got three years’ experience on the land, and then came to Marburg, where he secured this beautiful homestead of 81 acres, almost adjoining the Marburg’ sugar mill. He has grown sugar cane almost since the mill started, and has found it a payable crop, but this year has been very dry ; therefore there is a very poor crop. Two or three years ago he let his crop stand over for two years, and had stalks 20ft. long. Grulke assures me that twenty odd years also, farms in this district could have been bought for £20: today they are worth from £1200 to £1400.
MR. GEO. SETCH’S DURHAM COW YIELDS 50 lbs. MILK A DAY.
The secret of a successful dairyman is good feeding and culling till he has a perfect herd, like G. Setch, who was written up in the Budget some two years ago. Passing Setch’s home last week, and seeing the cows with such a splendid show of milk, I could not help taking a photo, of the last of Mr. Setch’s beautiful Durham cow, which give 50lbs. of milk a day. This cow Setch bred himself.
MR. J. BOETCHER’S HOME, OVERLOOKING MARBURG.
One of the prettiest farms, over looking the town of Marburg is that of John Boetcher ; not only is the farm well tilled, but he has a lovely vegetable and flower garden, which bespeaks industry and a love of the beautiful. What can be more important to our well being than a variety of vegetables? Not half the doctors would be required if farmers would grow more green vegetables. Boetcher farms and dairies, and any traveller passing his well-kept farm can see that there is not a lazy bone in his body: and the poultry yard speaks volumes for his hard-working better half.