20 THE FARMERS' HANDBOOK. 



Round Carcoar and along the Blayney line the country is hilly to moun- 

 tainous, chiefly slate formation, with ironstone and volcanic outcrops. On 

 the hills the soil is poor and stony, but the lower country carries considerable 

 areas of rich red or chocolate loam. Good black marble exists at Rockle} r . 



Farming in this district is principally confined to sheep, wheat, fruit, and 

 potatoes. There is a good deal of first-class wheat-land about Lyndhurst and 

 Mandurama. About Forest Reef a considerable area of potatoes is grown. 



About Bathurst the country varies from slaty ridges with granite to 

 undulating to flat and sometimes swampy. The soil varies from light, sandy 

 loam to stiff clay, with occasional pipeclay. The chief crops are potatoes, 

 wheat, oats, cauliflowers, and tobacco, with maize and lucerne on the river 

 flats. There are plenty of good orchards in this district, which is especially 

 suited to cool climate fruits, such as apples, pears, cherries, Szo. Gooseberries, 

 currants, and similar fruits also do well. The climate is too cold for grapes. 



In the north-eastern portion of the district, including Mudgee and 

 Rylstone, there is a great deal of rough country on the ranges, with fertile 

 valleys merging into undulating and flat country. East of the Dividing 

 Range the country rock is sandstone ; to the west, slate and basalt pre- 

 dominate. In county Bligh (in the northern part) basalt is the principal 

 soil-forming rock on the high land, the valleys having rich flats. There is also 

 a good deal of sandstone in this district. Round Mudgee itself the country 

 is hilly, with good fertile valleys. A little wine is made from grapes grown 

 about Mudgee. For the most part sheep are grazed in this district, with 

 some cattle and dairy-farming. On the flats, lucerne, maize, and wheat are 

 cultivated, and in the cooler parts oats, potatoes, and apples. Large cement 

 works exist at Portland, and others are being opened up at Candos. 



Between this district and Bathurst there is a great deal of rough, 

 mountainous country, unsuitable for cultivation. There is little arable land 

 in this district, which includes Hill End and Sofala, where mining operations 

 are carried on. 



The eastern portion of the Orange Land Board District includes the Blue 

 Mountains and its spurs. The country is principally sandstone, high, rough 

 to mountainous. The soil is poor and sandy, generally stony. Some fruit 

 is cultivated, but grazing is the principal occupation. 



In the south-east corner, including Burraga, Tuena, and Bigga, the land 

 is only fit for cultivation in patches, the greater portion being steep, 

 broken, and mountainous country, which is given over exclusively to sheep 

 grazing. 



Timber is fairly plentiful over the most of the district. White, red, and 

 yellow box are represented throughout, and are generally indicative of the 

 better-class country. On the Dividing Range the typical Blue Mountain 

 timbers are found, viz. : — Stringy bark, peppermint, messmate, black ash, 

 mountain ash, blackbutt, apple, and white gum. 



Over the rest of the district, in addition to red, white, and yellow box, the 

 most common trees ai*e stringy bark, apple, peppermint, ironbark, woolly butt, 

 red and white gum, with pine in the Mudgee, Cowra, and Molong districts. 



The grasses are generally good on ringbarked country, and include 

 kangaroo, barley, and crowfoot. The herbage is generally stunted on the 

 bills but good in the lowlands, and very good in the improved country. 



The cost of clearing varies a good deal, according to the district. For 

 pastoral occupation, ringing, suckering, and scrubbing cost from 5s. to 15s. 

 per acre. The cost is rather higher in the eastern and hilly districts, running 

 from about 6s. per acre for white box up to 15s. per acre for other timbers. 



