A'EW SOUTH WALES. 



Silverton to Milpariuka, Milparinka to Wanaaring, Wanaaring to 

 Bourke, Bourke to Hviugerford aud Barringun, Bourke to Cobar, 

 Narrabri to Moree, Moree to Boggabilla, Collarcndabri to Angledool, 

 Nyngan to Coouamble, Walgett to Coonamble, Brewai-rina to Nyngan, 

 wiiicli are for tlie most part arid districts ; and tliis policy as now 

 extended will be found to be of great benefit to tlie country at large, 

 and do inucb to open up tbe country and promote settlement. 



The Department bas in all let 21 contracts for Artesian Boring, and 

 together with 3 contracts taken over from the Works Department, 

 make a total of 24. These comprise in all 81 bores, of which 43 have 

 been completed. Of these contracts one has just been recently let for 

 bores at Mulga Valley and Cobliam, on the Wilcannia to Milparinka 

 road, and bores at Yalpunga and to the north, on the Milparinka 

 to Wompah road. 



Complete I'ecords of the Government Bores, as to strata, depth, flow, 

 temperature, pressure, diameter, casing, &c., are kept by the Depart- 

 ment for reference, and samples of the strata are preserved. Also 

 analvses of the waters and soils are made, with a view to the future 

 possibilities in the way of irrigation by means of artesian water. 

 The following is an extract made from a report of Mr. J. C. H. 

 Mingaye, F.C.S., M.A.I.M.E., Analyst and Assayer to the Department 

 of Mines, on the question : — 



It has beau stated that our artesiau waters are unsuitable for irrigation purposes, and 

 that when a water contains 30 "-lO or 50 grains per gallon of total solids, its use after a 

 time will kill all vegetation. That is so, as would also be the case with the ordinary river 

 water in time, without any system of proper drainage, the evaporation of the water 

 causing the saline matter to crust on the surface of the soils, and thus tend to destroy 

 plant life. A most important constituent in the composition of the total solids in these 

 ■waters is the rather large proportion of potash present, thus contributing this important 

 fertilizer to the soils wliich are irrigated with the waters. A large amount of valuable 

 work has been performed in America and India, i.e., use of saline waters for irrigation 

 purposes, where in places great difficulty has occurred as to the rise of " I'eh " in the 

 soils. Our soils in the western district, v,'here the most of these artesian bores are 

 situated being of a sandy nature, and good depth, a water containing a fair amount 

 of saline matter could be used for irrigation, wliere tlie same water if applied to another 

 class of soil, i.e., stiff clay or loam, for some years, especially if the drainage was not 

 properly carried out, and occasionally the soluble salts worked out, cause the soil to 

 become saturated aud iu time kill all vegetation. It has been found in America that the 

 carbonate of soda is the worst form of salt that has to be contended against in the use 

 of these saline waters for irrigation purposes. It renders the soil caustic and corrosive, 

 and dissolves the humus which is shown by the dark colour of the water standing on 

 alkali spots, and the black rings left when such water evaporates. Bj' the use of gypsum 

 (Calcium sulphate) iu small quantities its corrosive action can be remedied to a great 

 extent. A chemical action takes place, the gypsum in contact with the carbonate 

 of soda forming carbonate of lime and sulphate of soda (Glauber's salt). The first is 

 beneficial to the soil, and the latter is a neutral salt, which, according to Professor 

 E. \V. Hilyard, is from ten to twenty times less injurious than the carbonate of soda. 

 In America, in districts afTecteil with the carbonate of soda in the soil, it has been found 

 in numerous cases tiiat the simple use of gypsum, conjointly with summer tillage to keep 

 the soil loose, has sufficed to enable land that never before produced anything of value to 

 bcjvr abundant crops. By tlie aid of deep tillage and rotation of crops it is often possible 

 to al>8orb a large amount of these soluble salts or "reh"inthe plant. Beets, carrots, 

 and many other root crops are known to absorb a large amount of soluble salts [vidQ 



