30 the farmers' handbook. 



The only soil really suitable for agriculture would appear to be the greyish- 

 black alluvial flats, where yarran, pine, and box flourish. Yarran indicates a 

 soil of good depth, but cultivation without irrigation is not generally 

 practicable. 



The climate is very hot and exceedingly dry. The mean summer tempera- 

 ture in the Bourke district is 80 degrees to 83 degrees, sometimes going as 

 high as 120 degrees. The winters are mild and occasionally cold, with an 

 -average temperature of 52 degrees to 54 degrees Fah. 



The annual average rainfall varies from 18^ inches in the eastern portion 

 to as low as 10 in the western part. At Bourke and the eastern district 

 -quite one-third of the 18^ inches falls during January, February, and March. 



It is essentially a pastoral district, and there is no cultivation except under 

 irrigation. A little wheat is grown (chiefly for hay), and vegetables are 

 grown by irrigation from the rivers. Round Nymagee wheat has been 

 grown for years, and lucerne in a very small way is being grown near C<bar. 



But, on the whole, there is no prospect of cultivation becoming general for 

 many years, and until some scheme of irrigation is adopted which will enable 

 the country to be irrigated more cheaply than is at present possible. 



The principal timbers are box, gum, pine, mulga, gidgea, wilga, yarran, 

 <coolabah, kurrajong, leopard-wood, and white-wood. 



Red gum and box are the chief timbers on the river flats. 



The grasses are wire grass, spear grass, barley grass, corkscrew, umbrella 

 grass, Mitchell, cockspur, kangaroo, blue grass, and mulga grass. 



Many of the scrubs are edible. 



There is no clearing to speak of in the district, consequently it is difficult 

 to obtain reliable information on the subject. Ringbarking costs from 9d. 

 to 2s. 6d. per acre, the cost varying according to the nature of the timber. 



In the mallee country in the southern part of the district, the initial 

 cost of killing the timber for grazing is said to be about 10s. per acre. 



Timber for fencing is fairly plentiful and sufficient in the eastern part of the 

 Division, generally scanty elsewhere. 



Mulga and gidgea are considered to be the best timber for posts. Belar, 

 box, pine, and beef wood are also good. 



Post and rail fences are not used in the division, neither are cattle-proof 

 fences to any extent. 



A six-wire fence would cost £40 per mile, and more if remote from rail 

 or river. 



Rabbit-proof fencing costs £11)0 to £150 per mile. 



The cost of well-sinking averages, for the first 50 feet, if no blasting is 

 required, about 20s. 



Artesian bores cost 15s. per foot upwards according to depth. 



Tank excavation costs from Is. per cubic yard. If through rock, much 

 more. 



Transport is, on the whole, easy, the country being flat and the roads good 

 in dry weather. In some parts of this country, however, the roads are 

 heavy, being either deep sand or sandy hills. The heavy river flats are fairly 

 good in dry weather, but impassable when wet. Camels are used west of 

 the Darling for transport, as well as horses and bullocks. 



Water is scarce all over the district, and the water from the bores is saline 

 or alkaline in character, and not suitable for irrigation by flooding. 



