WHEATGROWING IN AUSTRALIA. 23 



The particulars of private lands for sale may be obtained 

 from city and country agents.. They vary considerably in price 

 according to the locality, nature of improvements and proximity to 

 railways. They may be said to range from $16.80 to $38.40 per 

 acre for improved land. In the majority of cases such lands are 

 either cleared or partly cleared, and the settler is able to put in a 

 crop right away, providing he obtains possession at a seasonable 

 time. The ploughing and sowing period is mainly in April and 

 May, and running to June, harvesting taking place in November 

 and December. The almost invariable practice in Australia is to 

 combine wheatgrowing and sheepfarming. Sheep are especially 

 profitable in Australia. This is an excellent combination, as the 

 busy periods do not clash, and the sheep help to fertilise the land, 

 clear the stubble paddocks, and are also often useful for the purpose 

 of eating down a crop in the early stages where it may be making 

 an unduly rapid growth. 



In most districts 250 acres of wheat is as much as one man 

 can manage without outside help, except at harvest time, although 

 some energetic farmers manage 300 acres.. In the more settled 

 districts wheat farms usually range from 300 to 600 acres, but 

 larger farms, up to four and five thousand acres, are common. They 

 are either worked on shares (see p. 38), or with hired labour, 

 and are usually owned by men who have started on a small area, 

 and increased it by subsequent purchase with money made from 

 wheatgrowing. On many large properties hitherto devoted to 

 sheepraising the practice is growing of putting down a large area 

 under wheat. 



It is not practical to definitely state the amount of capital 

 required to purchase and prepare an area of land for a wheat farm. 

 Much will depend upon the capacity and experience, business 

 acumen, and resourcefulness of the settler, as is the case in all 

 callings, but the detailed information given in these pages should 

 enable the intending settler to work out the amount approximately 

 required by his condition and the lines he intends adopting. 



WORKING PLANT REQUIRED. 



The intending settler has to consider not only the capital 

 required to secure his farm, whatever its nature, but also the 

 expenditure necessary in obtaining a working farm plant. Prices 

 of 'machinery cover a wide range, according to size, &c. In work- 



