14 THE FARMERS' HANDBOOK. 



North of the Macleay, the Nambucca district contains some good agricul- 

 tural land in small patches on the upper reaches of the Nambucca River. 

 Settlement is proceeding rapidly in this district, which is heavily timbered. 



The alluvial soil on the river and creek frontages is a rich and deep 

 chocolate to daik loam. On the ridges, the soil is mostly a black loam with 

 quartz out-crops and a stiff subsoil. 



From the Nambucca to the Bellinger and Coff's Harbour the country is 

 all hilly. The Bellinger Valley is extremely rich land, and farms fetch up 

 to £60 per acre. 



The Dorrigo country is mountainous, and very heavily timbered with soft- 

 woods, now very largely cleared. 



The soil varies from red volcanic soil to black alluvial, of good quality, with 

 sandy and clayey patches of rather inferior land. The country is very well 

 watered. 



To the north of Bellingen, towards Coff's Harbour, there is some good 

 grazing land ; the country is heavily timbered, the soil volcanic, chocolate 

 to red, with alluvial flats, generally in very small areas. 



The climate over the whole district is mild, the summers not too hot, and 

 the winters short. On the Comboyne (1,500 feet) and Dorrigo (3,000 feet) 

 plateaux the climate is colder. 



The mean annual temperature for the district is about 66 deg. Fah., with 

 a summer average of 73 degrees to 74 degrees, and a winter average of 56^ 

 degrees. 



The mean annual rainfall is about 54 inches in the northern portion of the 

 district, and 59 inches in the southern part, February and March being the 

 wettest months. 



The chief industries are dairying, maize-growinsy, cattle-grazing, pig-farming 

 and the timber industry; grasses of most kinds do well, paspalum especially. 

 All English fruits do well on the high lands, and fairly well at lower levels ; 

 citrus fruits do particularly well except on the coast, and on the very high 

 land potatoes and turnips are particularly good crops. 



It is one of the most heavily timbered and best watered districts in the State^ 

 Enormous forests of both soft and hard wood timbers are still to be found. 

 Some of the best milling timbers are found on the Dorrigo and Bulga plateaux, 

 including pine, beech, cedar (somewhat rare), tulip, sassafras, and rosewo >d. 

 Of the hardwoods, ironbark, blackbutt, tallow, grey, blue, and spotted gum, 

 box, red and black oaks, and mahogany are amongst the valuable timber* 

 represented in the district. 



Of the grasses — blady grass, blue grass, and kangaroo are among the 

 chief natural grasses, but introduced grasses are replacing them, among the 

 best being paspalum, rye, foxtail, prairie, clover, &c. 



Fencing material is abundant, except in the flat country. For posts, the 

 best timbers are bloodwood, tallow-wood, and gum ; and for rails, ironbark,. 

 blackbutt, and mahogany. 



Sometimes the butts of posts are charred as a protection against white 

 ant. 



The cost of post and rail fence is from £80 to £100 per mile, according to- 

 the number of rails. Four-wire cattle fencing costs £60. 



The cost of well-sinking runs from 20s. to 30s. per foot with timbering. 

 The best timber to use is mahogany, as it is very durable and does not- 

 discolour the water. 



The cost of excavating for tanks is from Is. 6d. to 2s. 6d. per cubic yard. 

 The transport is for the most part hilly, and over good hard roads. 

 The natural water supply is very good. 



