30 Oct., 1911.] To Start Farming. 695 



-of from ^5 to ^8 per acre. The seed is useful as feed for horses, cows, 

 pigs and fowls ; and the cane can l)e made into silage, after the fibre 

 and seed are removed. The crop will thrive on any rich river flats where 

 the rainfall is good. 



Maize for grain will grow well on the rich flats of Gippsland and the 

 Tiver flats in the Xorth-East, wherever the rainfall is good or irrigation 

 is possible. Crops of 70 to 100 bushels are taken oft' the land at Buchan 

 and Orbost, and the rental value of the land is from ^3 to j[^i\ los. per 

 -acre. The cost of production is about 2s. per bushel, including rent for 

 land. Prices range up to 5s. per bushel, the market value generally 

 lea\ing a nice return over and above the cost of production. 



ToTATOES, Beans, and Onions are grown largely in Gippsland and 

 all these crops combine well in mixed farming. Potatoes are grown suc- 

 cessfully in many other parts of the State, notably in the Warrnambool, 

 Bungaree, and Xorth-I''.astern districts. The average vield is about 3 

 tons ]Jer acre, and prices vary from £^1 to ;^6. Many farmers devote 

 themsehes wholly to this crop and make money. The cost of potato land 

 ranges from ^5 to ^60 per acre. Onions are grown in the Western 

 District and Southern Gippsland, and land can be rented for their growth 

 -at from £^i to ^3 per acre. Both potatoes and onions are risky crops as 

 ■compared with others, in that they are subject to pests and great fluctua- 

 tion in market prices and, as they can not be kept from one vear to 

 another, nuist lie sold at whatever price they will command. 



Lucerne-growing, either for dairying or lamb-raising, is lietter suited 

 to the irrigation areas, on those soils which contain a fair percentage 

 ■of lime. The Goulbuni \'alley [)r<>mises to produce large crops of lucerne, 

 as al.so do the settlements near Rochester, Swan Hill, and \\'yuna ; in fact, 

 all the free soils in which lime is present and where water is availal)le are 

 suitable for lucerne. 



The Lamb-raising industry is not yet developed on small farms in 

 Victoria to any extent, and the profits are not as large as those from 

 <lairying. Its suitability for larger holdings, esjieciallv when conil lined 

 with wheat-growing, is beyond (juestion. 



\'iTicuLTURE is a paying industry, but renuires special knowledge for 

 successful working ; and, like fruit, takes time to develop. It is suited 

 to many soils and climates, but in the drier districts water for irrigation 

 is necessary. Returns of from ^-5 to £^'^0 per acre, and sometimes 

 higher, are made in the Mildura and Rutherglen districts; in the former, 

 chieflv from raisins and currants, and in the latter, from wine. A con- 

 sideralile amount of capital is required to start on these lines and unless 

 money is a\ailabl<' they should be commenced on a small scale in conjunc- 

 tion with other pursuits. The cost of establishing a jjlot of vines is from 

 ^-5 ^" ^.3° 1""'' 'K"''^! exclusive of the value of the land. 



Land Purchase. 



( 'rown Lands.— Land can be .selected in many jiarts of Victoria under 

 varying conditions. As full particulars are oi)tainaliie from the Lands 

 Department only brief information is given here. 



i'irst class land can he .selected at Jos. per acre, payable over jo years 

 in e(|ual instalments. A licenie is issued for the first six years, during 

 which period jos. per acre in inipro\ements must bi- elTected ; at the end 

 of six years, a lea.se is given and at any time during the fourti'i-n years for 

 which the lease is held the Crown grant can be ohtained on payment of 

 the amount due to (()m|)lete the JOS. per acre. 



