Nov. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 779 



Ou the Cudgen area are situated some thirty-two farms, averaging 50 

 acres each. Last year the product of the area was 22,000 tons of cane, and 

 the wages paid for cutting to all so employed was £9,500 — clear proof of the 

 value of the industry as a wage-paying one. 



The Costs ot Clearing, Planting, and Harvesting. 



Before proceeding to deal more fully with the methods of cultivating 

 sugar cane, it will be useful perhaps to give some idea of the cost of clear- 

 ing land in those districts where new areas are being brought under the 

 crop. 



As to the tea-tree forest that stretches from Pimlico to Ballina on the Kich- 

 mond, some idea is afforded by the experience at WoUongbar Experiment 

 Farm, where partly cleared country that still carried some green timber 

 cost £14 per acre to clear for the plough. On the heavier tea-tree timber 

 further up the river, clearing would not be done for less than £20 per acre. 



An approximation of the initial outlay and probable return is afforded 



by the following figures which were ma.de available by a farmer who had 



cleared and planted an area of rough virgin scrub land, where all the work 



had to be done by hand : — 



Felling ... £3peracre. 



Burning off 



Holing 

 Plants 

 Planting 



5 

 4 

 4 

 2 





£18 „ 

 Thus, the crop 'planted had cost this farmer £18 per acre. Pursuing his 

 figures, we may add the following: — 



Weeding Cfour chippiDgs) £12 per acre. 



Cutting (7s. 6(1. per ton for 40-ton crop)... 15 „ 



Hauling cane to punts (5s. per ton) ... 10 ,, 



£37 „ 



The total outlay on the crop at this stage was £55, against which must be 

 set a return of 40 tons of cane at £2 per ton— or £80 per acre. Such a stand 

 would, of course, be left for a ratoon crop, and the outlay, in view of the 



second cut, would be: — 



£ s. d. 



Chipping ^^ '^ A 



Cutting (7s. 6d. per ton for 30-ton crop) ^i ^ 



Hauling cane to punt (5s. per ton) 7 10 



£28 15 



The 30-ton crop at £2 per ton would leave such a grower in a good posi- 

 tion as to his sugar cane, and a second ratoon crop would further improve 



matters, as the following shows: — 



£ s. d. 



Chipping ^2^2 



Cutting (7s. 6d. per ton for 25-ton crop) In 



Hauling cane to punt (5s. per ton) 6 5 



£25 12 6 



