THH FARMERS HANDBOOK. 



The soils vary from sand} 7 loams to rich red and chocolate loams and 

 black soil plains, the latter with clay subsoils. On the higher levels the soil 

 is red and of a more loamy nature, and sandy to gravelly on the ridges. 



The climate is hot and dry, especially in the western part of the district. 

 In the eastern portion the climate is milder, with a better rainfall. It is very 

 hot in the summer ; the winters are mild and bracing. The mean summer 

 temperature for this district is about 76 deg. Fah., with a winter average of 

 49 degrees. 



The rainfall at Dubbo is 22| inches annually. 



The principal crop is wheat, which is grown extensively about Narromine 

 and Wellington, and in the southern parts of the district. Lucerne is also 

 grown, and does splendidly on the river flats. 



The principal timbers are box, pine, buddha, wilga, mallee, ironbai*k r 

 yarran, gum, myall, coolabah, belar, bull oak, currawong, red box, ironwood,. 

 a little kurrajong (fodder tree), whitewood (fodder tree), needlewood, &c. 



The grasses are of good fattening quality, and include Mitchell, umbrella 

 grass, corkscrew, crowfoot, and barley grass. 



For clearing dead timber the cost is from 7s. 6d. to £1 per acre ; green 

 timber costs from £1 10s. to £3. The average cost may be set down as about 

 25s. per acre. Yankee grubbing is not extensively practised. The cost 

 would be from 10s. to 15s. per acre. 



Fencing material is abundant, and in most parts good. For posts, box,, 

 pine, ironbark, yarran, and buddha are chiefly used. Pine posts withstand 

 white ant best, but yarran and buddha are exceptionally lasting. Charring 

 butts is resorted to in some cases to protect posts from white ant and rot,, 

 but it is not a. general practice. . 



Post and rail fences are hardly ever used. Their cost would be prohibitive 

 for general use. Cattle-proof fences cost from £40 to £60 per mile for 

 4-wire fences, but these fences are little used. The cost of 6-wire sheep 

 fences most generally in use is from £50 to £70 per mile. Rabbit-proof 

 fencing costs from £120 to £160 per mile. For well-sinking the price is 

 from (say) 20s. per foot for the first 50 feet, the cost increasing with the 

 depth up to 25s. to 30s. per foot. 



The cost of excavating for tanks, which is now chiefly done with scoops, 

 is from Is. per cubic yard; however, if feed is plentiful in the locality, 

 this may be a little reduced. 



The transport is level in the western part and hilly in the eastern parts of 

 the distx*ict. The roads are for the most part good and hard except in wet 

 weather. 



The Coonamble District embraces the northern and eastern part of the 

 Dubbo Land Board District. Except for the AVarrumbungle Mountains in the 

 east, the country is flat in character, with rich black and red soils, alternating 

 with belts of sandy soil. The climate is hot and dry, with a rainfall of frorn> 

 17 to 25 inches annually. The average temperature in summer is 80 deg, 

 Fah., and in winter 51 deg. Fah. It is at present mainly a pastoral 

 district, but agriculture has considerably increased in the eastern part and 

 will eventually overshadow pastoral pursuits more particularly around 

 Giigandra and the eastern side of the railway between Dubbo and Gular. 

 Maize is grown under irrigation, but only in small areas. 



The chief timbers are yarran, box, pine, belah, gum, buddha, and ironbark,. 

 with plenty of edible scrubs such as myall, wilga, kurrajong, rosewood, wild 

 orange, whitewood, and leopard-wood. 



