8 Jan., 1908.] 



XJiill Idrni Compeiiiion. 



Varieties of fruits and vegetables are present in abundance, and the care 

 bestowed upon this portion of the farm is repaid a thousand-fold in the 

 domestic arrangements for preserves, &c. Mr. Crouch has not made 

 the same provision in this direction. 



(;) The best provision for Water Supply — jo points. — On a farm of 

 any size, especially in a drv climate, there is perhaps no more essential 

 factor towards success than an adequate wafer supply. In this connexion 

 all the farms are well served. Messrs. John Duffy and Son, Sanders, 

 Crouch, and Dahlenberg have dams, the former also several windmills, 

 in a great number of their paddocks, and in those not so supplied, stock 

 have easy access to water. Mr. Stapleton's propertv is equallv well 

 watered, largelv bv medium of windmills pumping from wells into small 

 dams, which has the advantage of keeping the water always fresh and not 

 so liable to be fouled by stock when drinking. Windmills to furnish a house 

 supply of w^ater are found at Messrs. Dufty and Son. Dahlenberg, Sanders, 

 and Stapleton's. In all cases, adequate provision is made to store rain 



A COMPETITOR S FARM YARD SHOWING SHED ACCOMMODATION. 



water for domestic use. I am of opinion that it would be difficult to 

 find, in northern Victoria, a greater amount of attention paid to water 

 storage than is the case on many of the farms in the Nhill district. 

 Not only are the dams well located for catchment and accessibility, but 

 they are of good capacity and in a great man\- cases are screened bv 

 trees which minimise evaporation. 



(k) Best arrmigement and system of DzceUing and Farm Building — 20 

 points. — In this item the financial progress of the owner may be guessed at. 

 The influence of attractive surroundings, both external and internal, counts 

 for much in isolated places, and it may well be a matter for pride to the 

 owners of these fine properties under review to know that in each and every 

 case they impressed me with their substantial nature and homelike char- 

 acter. The installation of acetylene gas in the dwelling and stables at 

 Mr. Sanders marks a distinct step in farm homesteads. In regard to the 

 outbuildings, the usual pole and thatch roofed sheds prevail in all cases, 

 except that of Mr. Dahlenberg, who, since my previous inspection of his 



