FARM LANDS OF NEW SOUTH WALKS. 23 



degrees to 50 degrees Fah. The average annual rainfall is about 27 inches, 

 being fairly evenly distributed. July, August, and September are the 



-driest months. 



The country round Tamworth, and in the eastern division, is undulating 

 to steep, being composed chiefly of slate, conglomerate, granite, and sandstone. 

 In the centre of this district, and towards the west and south of Tamworth, 

 the country may be described as undulating to flat, with slate, basalt, and 

 sandstone. 



The soil varies over the area from chocolate and reddish soil on the hills 

 •to black soil on the plains, and light sandy loam in the scrubs. 



Some limestone occurs in the neighbourhood of Tamworth. 



In the western portion of the district, with Coonabarabran as the centre, 

 the country varies from undulating tabic tops to rough and mountainous in 

 the centre (the Warrurnbungle Ranges are from 3,000 to 4,000 feet high), 

 of sandstone and basalt formation, and with a reddish sandy loam and clay 

 .soils on the ridges, interspersed with a good many patches of raw sand, to 

 the black-soil plains on east and west. 



The country lying between the above divisions, and in the centre of the 

 Land Board District from Boggabri on the north, and stretching southward 

 through Gunnedah and Bundella, is for the most part black soil plain country, 

 with well-timbered basalt rocky nobs and undulations here and there rising 

 to mountain ranges in the south. This portion is bounded on the north-east 

 by the Nandewar Range, in the neighbourhood of which the prevalent soil 

 is of a reddish or chocolate coloured sandy loam. 



All classes of farming are carried on. Wheat is the principal crop in the 

 neighbourhood of Tamworth, Maniila, Quirindi, Gunnedah, and the eastern 

 portion of the district. Lucerne is grown extensively in county Parry. 

 In this district (the south-east portion of the Land Board district), maize 

 and barley are also extensively cultivated. The barley is particularly good 

 for malting purposes. Tobacco is extensively cultivated near Tamworth and 

 Manilla. 



Wheat is also extensively grown in the Gunnedah district. 



Round Tamworth, Quirindi, and Manilla there is some dairying, and 

 butter factories have been established at Gunnedah, Tamworth, and Quirindi, 

 ■which promise to become important dairying districts. 



In the western portion of the district mixed farming is carried on over 

 the greater part of the area. The black soil plains are chiefly devoted to 

 wool and fattening, the natural grasses being good fattening grasses. Wheat 

 and maize are cultivated, the area being extended annually. Lucerne is 

 being more extensively grown with considerable advantages on grazing areas, 

 and fruit is successful and of first-class quality wherever it has been tried, 

 especially round the town of Coonabarabran, with 30 inches average rainfall. 



These crops are only grown for local requirements, as the distance from 

 the railway is against crop production on any extensive scale. There are two 

 Hour mills at Coonabarabran, a butter factory at Coolah, and freezing works 

 at Coonabarabran and Binnaway. 



There are at present considerable areas under cultivation with a 25-inch 

 rainfall, which is the lowest in the district, the average being 27 inches. 

 Yields are invariably good, and absolute failure of crops is unknown, where 

 proper farming methods are adopted. The points at present accessible by 

 railway are Gilgandra, Gulargambone, Dubbo to Merrygoen, Binnaway. and 

 Coonabarabran, while construction work on the CoonHbarabran to Barradine 

 and Binnaway to Werris Creek is Hearing completion. 



