INTRODUCTION. XIX 



system in country that is suited for pasturing sheep, and where the natural 

 herbage is still fairly plentiful. For those areas which have deteriorated so 

 much that sheep have a difficulty to eke out an existence it would be a 

 wise thing to rest them for a period until the better kinds of herbage 

 recuperate. It may not be generally known, but it is an almost invariable 

 fact, that where horses are constantly allowed to graze such undesirable 

 plants as the "spear" and " three-awned spear" grasses are not nearly so 

 plentiful as they are on those areas from which these animals are excluded. 

 Sheep, on the contrary, that are allowed to roam over large areas, eat out 

 the very best grasses and other herbage, and it is not until they become 

 pressed with hunger that they will eat of the coarser vegetation. It is this 

 constant " nibbling off" of the superior kinds of herbage that has made 

 them scarce in some parts of the country. Having so little chance to 

 recuperate and perfect seed, their only natural means of reproduction is 

 partially destroyed. 



It would depend upon the size of the pastoral holding and the number of 

 sheep that is grazed upon it as to the size of the paddocks to be adopted, but 

 I would certainly not recommend any larger than 2,000 acres, smaller areas 

 being preferable. The paddocks should be so arranged that each one should 

 have at least from three to four months' rest in a year. This would give 

 the herbage an opportunity to produce seed, which in time would germinate, 

 and new plants would spring up to cover the ground. Unless the paddocks 

 were in a very bad state before the system was adopted, it is astonishing how 

 quickly some of the herbage would recuperate, drought time, of course, 

 excepted. Another very great advantage to be taken in consideration by 

 adopting the close-paddocking system is that sheep could be kept, if not near 

 shearing time, a little longer than usual in any paddock which might have a 

 number of noxious plants growing in it, during which time they would 

 trample most of them down. This would give a better chance for the 

 superior grasses and other herbage to grow when that particular paddock 

 was resting. By adopting the close-paddocking system it would also be found 

 that fine crops of grass could be cut in some of the paddocks in propitious 

 seasons, which could be made either into hay or ensilage. Some pastoralisls 

 may say that this idea is all very well in theory, but would not pay 

 in practice. Notwithstanding this, however, many experienced pastoralists 

 think with me that some such means will have to be adopted to provide teed 

 for stock during adverse times, unless stock-owners are prepared to lose 

 thousands of cattle and sheep during every recurring drought. Wi T h the 

 appliances, in the shape of labour-saving machinery, that are now obtainable 

 at a moderate cost, thousands of tons of fodder could be saved in times 

 of plenty. Whether the grass or other herbage is turned into hay or 

 ensilage it would be advisable to make the stores of fodder some distance 

 apart, so that when it became necessary to artificially feed stock the animals 

 would not be congregated in such large numbers at any particular point. It 

 is easy to imagine, if such a thing did take place, that scores of the weaker ones 

 would be trampled to death. The stacks should, of course, be protected 

 with fencing, in order to keep the animals off during the time that herbage 

 was plentiful in the pastures. Another plan might also be adopted to 

 provide feed for stock during drought timo. It is a well known fact to most 

 Australian pastoralists that a great number of the salt-bush familv are 

 exceedingly tenacious of life, and withstand a phenomenal amount of dry 

 weather ; in fact, the drier the season the more luxuriant many of these irrow, 

 provided that they are not persistently eaten down. I would recommend 

 salt-bush reserves to be made from half a mile to a mile in length, about 2 

 chains in width, and from 3 to 6 miles apart, according to the size of the 



