January i, 1884.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



509 



growing, and the result has been that in such localities 

 the crop is wonderfully heavy, and no harm whatever 

 has been done to it. There is next to no current ex- 

 cept in the channel of the river, but merely a gradual 

 rite and fall ; and it is evident that if floods could only 

 be regulated they would prove of immense benefit 

 to the district. Another important feature in those 

 floods is, that it brings down with it quantities of 

 lime from the ranges at its bead, and also from the 

 limestone beds that traverse the river; and the whole 

 of the soil in the neigbbourhood is strongly im- 

 pregnated with this substance, which strengtliens the 

 land immeusely. If the district could only reckon 

 on a triennial flood, the planters might calculate on 

 their soil being inexhaustible. 



There are now eight estates, part of which are 

 under cultivation. Of these, Airdmillan, the ; roperty 

 of the Burdekin Delta Company, is now taking off 

 its first crop; the Pioneer, Kalamia, Dr.vnie, and Sea- 

 Vrth estates will have mills erected within the next 

 fox months, and take off their next year's crop ; Maida 

 siale and Norham estates will crush noxt year at the 

 Pioneer aud Saaforth Mills, and Ripley Estate will 

 take its first crop off in '85. 



At present, the cultivation appears to confine 

 itself to those estates on Sheep St itioa and on Plant- 

 ation Creek, the former being the western and the 

 latter the eastern portions of the district. A'rdmillan, 

 Seaforth, Kalamia, and Norham estates emply Plant- 

 ation Criek as a means of shipment, and thj remainder 

 Barratta Creek, which is considerably to the north, 

 and debouches iuio Bowling Green Bay. The former 

 has no roadstead, has an awkward bar, and the mouth 

 of the creek is exposed to the south-east gales. At 

 the entranije to the latter, Bowling Green Bay affords 

 admirable shelter and anchorage, but it exclusively 

 commauds the western portion of the district. 



A scheme is now on toot which, if it has successful 

 issue, will enable the planters to ship direct to their 

 various markets, instead of as, at present, being obliged 

 to ship to Townsville and re-ship from thence. A 

 sufficient depth of water is reported in Bowling Green 

 Bay, under the Cape of that name, to float ocean- 

 going vessels. This is being investigated, and Mr. 

 Jett'eries, of the firm of Sloane and Company, has 

 offered the Government to consturct) a line from this 

 point to tap the district, in the event of being allowed 

 certain concessions of land. The diflSoulties of the 

 present communication, which is almost exclusively 

 conducted by the fleet of small steamers belonging 

 to Messrs. Aplin, Brown and Company, will be at 

 once overcome ; the planters will obtain direct ship- 

 ment, aud the district will, in all probability, become 

 as independent of Towusville as Port Mackay is at 

 the present time. 



Of the plantations mentioned on Sheep Station 

 Creek, the Pioneer, belonging to the Mesars. Drysdale 

 Bros., is at present the most forward. It coiisi.sts of 

 5,120 acres, two-thirds of which is available for cultiv- 

 ation. It has now under cane -10 acres of stand-over 

 cane, 30 acres of ratoous, 500 acres under plants, aud 

 200 more will be planted out this year, making a total 

 of 770 acres under crop. The canes principally consist 

 of Meera, Kose Bamboo, Striped Meera, Black Java, 

 and Dupont. This latter is nut a favouiite in the dis- 

 trict, aud on this estate it grows badly, having a thin 

 barrel, short uneven joints, aud being a very hard cane. 

 The principal objection, however, to it lies in the faot 

 that it is very difficult to granulate, and lime does 

 not appear to have the effect on it that it has on 

 other caues. The favourites throughout the district 

 are Rose Bamboo and Meera, of which a great quant- 

 ity is grown. 



Tne land under crop is laid out in 100-acre blocks, 

 which measure about -tO cliains long by 25 wide, and 

 bariog roads between these blocks ou to which the 



timber cleared from the land has been dra«n, an 

 which is now being cut for cord wood for the mil*^ 

 Up to the present all this land has been cultivate'- 

 by lior.-e and bullock power, but steam is now bein^ 

 procured und is expected to arrive this month. NS 

 less than 110 horses are employed, that have 8plen° 

 di.l stable accommodation, aud about 80 working bul" 

 looks are also employed in breaking up land, and- 

 hauiing off 1 gs. The ploughs used principally, are 

 by Petersen, of Mackay, which are very highly 

 thought of by the piactical and experienced outside 

 manager, Mr. Hoey. He qualifies them as being the 

 best horse ploughs he ever used. 



There are 116 Kanakas aud 36 white men emp'Oyed 

 on the estate, all of whom, and more esijeciall the 

 latter, have the best of accommodation and -• yons. 

 The hours are lOJ per diem, and 9 for ploughmen ; 

 and the rate of wages given, being — for ploughmen 

 25s. , blacksmith i£2 lOs., cooks £2 lOs., and carpenters 

 £3 per week, exclusive of rations. A mob of China- 

 men were, failing other labour, employed in clearing, 

 cuttint; up, and filling in the holes by contract. This 

 cost the plantation £6 153. per acre, and the labour 

 was unsatisfactory. They tried every means to take 

 advantage of their employers, and gave trouble in 

 having to be watched. Chinese are grately disliked 

 thoroughout the district, and the planters are getting 

 rid of ibis class of labour as quickly as they can re- 

 place them. 



The district being somewhat dry, aud the supply of 

 water being boundless, many plantations are about to 

 systematically irrigate their fields. On this plant- 

 ation some 14 wells have been sunk, procuring water 

 at a depth varying from H to 55 feet, and steam 

 power will be employed to throw 60,000 gallons an 

 hour on to the laud. This will be run down the 

 drills, which can, if necessary, be puddled with the 

 bare feet of the Kanakas. The gradient in most es- 

 tates is regular and not too steep, and there is every 

 probability of this system turning out an immense 

 success. The only question appears to be as to whether 

 the wells will supply the quantity of water required, 

 but if not, the lagoons, containing an almost endless 

 supply, will be ut.lised.—FlaiUer and Farmer. 



Force of GRO^VTH.— The power exerted by plants m 

 growth is something surprising. In the experiments by 

 President Clark upon the Squash, this fruit m growing 

 was able to raise -1,120 lb., and carried for ten days 5 000 

 lb. without injury. The frequent displacement of flaggiu^^ 

 stones, and the injury often done to pavements by the 

 roots of shade trees, make it evident that gi-owiug roots 

 of firm wood exert, under suitable conditions, a tremendous 

 mechanical force. The power exercised by an annual root 

 is also exceedingly great, as shown m the case of a long 

 Blood Beet planted at the New York Agricultm-al Experi- 

 ment Station, in an inch dram-tile set up ou end and buried 

 in the soil. This drain tile was spht lengthwise mth the 

 greatest ease as the root outgrew its accommodation. The 

 Uftuig force of fungi often excites sm-prise. A corre- 

 spou'lont from Braintree, Essex, has lately sent us a speci- 

 mou of a fungus, identified by Jlr. W. G. Smith as Agaricus 

 arvensis, and which is reported to have unheaved a flag- 

 stone measuring some 2 feet 6 inches by 1 foot 10 inches 

 Such statements are sometimes received with incredulity" 

 or rather the phenomenon observed is attributed to other 

 causes, the growth of the fungus not being conceived to 

 be adequate to produce such an elfect. This, however is 

 a mistake. If not in the case of the fungus, at least iu 

 that of some other plants, the lifting force has been not 

 only observed but carefully measured, as in the case of the 

 Pumpkm above mentioned.— Garrfrae/v,-' Chronide. 



THAT HUSBAND OF MINE 

 Is three times the man he was before he began using 

 "Wells' Health Eeuewer." Druggists. B. S. Madou & Co,, 

 Bombay, General Agents. 



