THE SQUATTER AND THE SETTLER. 



209 



Surveyor-General of the colony declared was not worth 2s. 6d. per acre. The 

 plan they adopted for killing the box-trees was one that had only lately been 

 tried. It consisted in cutting a notch round the tree through the bark and 

 into the sap wood, to prevent the sap rising. This plan, called ' ring barking,' 

 when performed at the proper season, effectually kills the tree, and it has 

 since come into general practice all over Australia. I have ridden over the 

 estate in the box-forest that was formed by the squatting firm mentioned, 

 and where, years ago, there was not a blade of grass to be seen, is now a 

 fine pasture, that even in indifferent years will keep a sheep to the acre. 



King Barking. 



' Drought does not always ruin the squatter, and there are many instances 

 of their surviving the hard time. A squatter of my acquaintance embarked 

 in a heavy purchase in Central Australia. The run was of vast size, and 

 the soil admirable, but soon after he purchased the property a severe drought 

 set in, water was scarce, and grass almost entirely disappeared. There was 

 no disposing of a portion of the sheep, for every one was short of grass, and 

 there were no buyers. Before the drought broke up he had lost eighty 

 thousand sheep from starvation, and the remainder of the flock were in a very 

 emaciated condition. At last the welcome rain set in — not in a heavy shower, 



p 



