34 Australia: The Dairy Country. 



Cost of Starting on 160 Acres. 



This, of course, varies with the circumstances of the case, and 

 depends largely on whether a man has the capital to push forward 

 his operations, or is content to gradually get his land into working 

 order. A man with $720.00 to $1032.00 could make a good start. If 

 the land was taken up at $2.40 per acre from the Crown, his first 

 year's deposit would be $18,24, and he would have sufficient to 

 fence the land, buy some cows, and put up some sort of a house. 

 Necessarily a settler does not spend much on his house at first 

 until he has made some money. On the other hand, many of the 

 most prosperous farmers in Queensland have started with only a 

 few pounds, sufficient to pay their first year's rent. By fencing his 

 land himself, the settler can save a good deal of expense. And by 

 working for neighbouring farmers, he can gradually acquire money 

 to buy stock from time to time. 



On the other hand, if he wishes to begin straight away, and 

 has a little money, he can get assistance from the Agricultural 

 Bank, a Government institution, which advances $0.60 in the $ 

 towards improvements, and $0.50 in the $ for stock, machinery, 

 and implements, charging 5 per cent, simple interest. 



COST OF STARTING A DAIRY FARM ON 160 ACRES. 



$ 



Rent ist year's deposit and survey fee ... ... 18.24 



Fencing 2 miles at 96.00 per mile (posts 12 feet apart 



and 3 barbs) ... ... ... ... ... 192.00 



12 Cows at $28.80 per cow ... ... ... ... 345-bo 



2 Horses at $72.00 ... ... ... ... ... 144.00 



Plough ... ... ... ... ... ... 28.80 



Harness ... ... ... ... ... ... 24.00 



Swingle bars and chains ... ... ... ... 6.00 



House 24 x 12 feet, slabbed and floored, at $4.80 per foot 115.20 



Milking-shed ... ... ... ... ... 24.00 



Yard ... ... ... ... ... .. 48.00 



3O-gallon Separator .. ... ... ... 60.00 



Cart (second-hand) ... ... ... ... ... 24.00 



Some small items, such as rations, milk-room, tinware, &c.> 

 have not been included in the estimate. If the fencing were erected 

 personally, the cost would be materially reduced. If the settler 

 built his own house, it would cost him little more than his own 

 labour and the iron for the roof. 



Many beginners put up cheap sapling yards for a start, and 

 at a nominal cost. This would materially reduce this estimate. 



The Average Herd. 



The average herd is about thirty head, but many farmers milk 

 from 80 to 150 cows daily. The number of cows that could be kept 

 on an average farm of, say, 160 acres depends entirely on the land, 

 and the amount of cultivation or area under artificial grasses. 

 From thirty to eighty head would be about a fair estimate that 

 good land would carry. 



