FARM LANDS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 1 1 



Tn many parts hard woods arc interspersed with the softwood brush. 



The hardwood forest is ringbarked and the trees allowed to die before 

 clearing for the plough. Only small areas of such country are cleared for 

 cultivation, as the soil is generally of poorer quality and the cost is heavy, 

 varying from £4 to £8 per acre. 



In such country the growth of seedlings is usually heavy after ringbarking, 

 more especially on poor laud timbered with spotted gum, stringybark, and 

 mahogany. 



The cost of killing the timber and clearing the undergrowth varies from 

 1 1 Is. to 25s. per acre, extended over a period of from two to five years. 



Open forest is usually easily treated. Where the timber is open (lie soil 

 is generally of better quality. This may be accounted for hy the thick 

 growth of natural grasses, assisted by bush fires, preventing the growth of 

 young timber. 



Timber for fencing is plentiful and of good quality. For posts the best 

 timbers are blood wood, ironbark, and grey gum ; and for rails, stringybark, 

 bloodwood, grey gum, red mahogany, and blackbutt. 



The grazing capacity of forest country, with natural grasses, varies from 

 4 to 1(> acres to a beast. The best land cultivated with paspalum or couch 

 will carry one beast to the acre. The winters are mild, and hand-feedinc is 

 seldom necessary. 



A good deal of damage is done by white ants, but preventive measures are 

 not much employed in this district. Bloodwood, red mahogany, teak, and 

 beech are seldom attacked by white ants ; on the other hand, pine and 

 tallow-wood are readily attacked. 



The cost of post and rail fence is from £80 to £120 per mile according to 

 character of country and timber available. 



Wire fences cost £50 to £70 per mile at present prices of material and 

 labour. 



.Sheep and rabbit-proof fences have not been used in the past, but rabbits 

 have made their appearance in places within the western part of the district 

 and the erection of netting fences is now found necessary within those areas. 



Well-sinking costs 5s. to 7s. per foot without timbering, 15s. to 20s. per 

 foot with bricks or slabs. There is not much well sinking, and practically 

 no tank sinking done in this district, as it is generally well watered by 

 creeks and springs. 



The poorly watered parts are generally of sandstone formation, and the 

 soil is usually too porous to hold water ; also, owing to the excessive amount 

 of silt and rubbish washed down the gullies in this class of country, tanks 

 and dams are impracticable as a rule. 



The nature of the transport varies according to the state of the roads. 

 Horse waggons are generally used for delivery of cream to nearest railway 

 siding, wharf, or factory from outlying parts. 



A railway runs from Grafton to Murwillumbah, with a branch line from 

 Casino to Kyogle, but there is no connection across the Clarence River with 

 the line from .South Grafton to Glenreagh. This Jine is now being extended 

 to connect with Coff's Harbour and the present railway terminus from Sydney 

 at Slacks ville. 



There are good motor services between the principal centres and the roads 

 as a whole are fairly good. 



