Feb. 3, 1908.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 149 



tenaiit.s, until some lialf-dozuii years ago, when the present owner, Mr. J. 

 McConib, purchased it, and transferred his not too numerous stock from 

 his neighl)ouring farm to tliis one, since when it has developed into what 

 the numerous illustrations depict — a poultry farm of mammoth dimen- 

 sions, and of unquestioned prosperity. 



Chapt?:i{ II. 



The Farm. 



The proprietor is a North of Ireland Scotclnnan, arrived in New South 

 "Wales witli some relatives when aljout 15 years of age, and settled down 

 with them on a farm named Mount Pleasant, in the Manly district, about 

 a mile from '" Glenbrook." Mount Pleasant was the country residence of an 

 uncle of Mr. McComb. and a well-known city man. Market gardening, 

 fruit-growing, and pig Ijreeding were conducted at the place. In course 





^ 



Fig. 5.— Almost ready for maticet. 



of time the uncle died, and left the nephew an inheritance which, under 

 other circumstances, would have placed him beyond the tending of cab- 

 bages or the dread of swine disease. The inheritance was in the form of 

 bank and Iniilding society sliares, but many being unnegotiable, rather 

 than a rich man his position when thoroughly realised was that, although 

 not penniless, he was obliged to take a serious view of things, and what 

 was a perfunctory sort of management of the farm for a relative, who 

 perhaps did not expect much profit, now became a reality when a living 

 had to be made. A numbei- of profitable years attended the operations, 

 then the inevitable drought came, the one or two lean years eating up 

 all that was stored in the fat ones, convincing Mr. McComb that to battle 

 witli the elements in the interests of market gardening for profit on such 



