WHEATGROWING IN AUSTRALIA. 27 



timber, but patent droppers, made of wire and iron, can be obtained. 

 Where timber is scarce such fences are cheaper. The droppers 

 hold the wires to which they are attached in their place, but are 

 not sunk into the ground. Fencing costs about $144.00 to $168.00 

 per mile. Netting the fences to keep out the rabbit costs an 

 additional $192.00 to $240.00 per mile. If the new farm consists 

 of improved, that is, cleared or partly cleared land, the settler will 

 probably get his crop in before he does his fencing. It would be 

 better for him to do that than leave his sowing till unduly late. 



Where green timber has to be cleared off the land it is ring-- 

 barked first, and the trees allowed to die before they are grubbed 

 out. Ringbarking consists of cutting a small strip of bark from 

 around the trunk of the tree to prevent the flow of sap keeping it 

 alive. After ringbarking, the trees usually throw out young shoots 

 or " suckers," which have to be broken off. Usually this has to be 

 done twice, and is called suckering. The deeper the trees are ring- 

 barked, the bigger the piece of bark removed, the sooner it will 

 die, but there is then a greater tendency to throw out suckers. The 

 trees take two or three years to die, then they are grubbed and 

 burnt. It is very seldom that the green trees are cut out at once, 

 as this is very much more expensive, and for some time after 

 removal the ground is too sour to be good for wheat or other 

 crops. When the country is ringbarked the ground sweetens, and 

 by the time the tree is dead is ready for cropping.. While the trees 

 are dying the country is usually used for grazing sheep and other 

 stock, as it will be carrying good pasture.. Of recent years a system 

 has been tried, with considerable success, of poisoning the green 

 timber with a mixture of arsenic and soda and water. A ring is 

 chopped round the tree, and the bark thus makes a rough cup, into 

 which the mixture is poured. This treatment has proved very 

 effective. 



The cost of ringbarking and all similar operations, of course, 

 depends upon the amount of timber on the country, but it usually 

 costs from 24 cents to 30 cents per acre, while suckering 

 costs 8 cents to 12 cents per acre. After the trees are dead they 

 are grubbed or burnt out, all roots to 12 or 18 in. depth being 

 removed, and this work costs from $2.80 to $3.60 per acre. In some 

 cases the country is what is known as " Yankee-grubbed," in which 

 case the trees are cut off level with the ground, and roots allowed 

 to remain in below the surface. When the country was used for 

 grazing only, this was found a cheap and efficient method, but 

 nevertheless only a small proportion of Australian wheat country 

 has been so treated. To cultivate " Yankee-grubbed" country what 



