THE FARM HOLDING. 1 25 



SECTION III. 



The Farm Holding* 



CLEARING. 



The methods by -which land is cleared in New South Wales vary widely 

 according to the nature of the timber and the purpose to which the land is- 

 to be applied. 



Where cultivation is the object in view, the work must be done with some 

 degree of thoroughness, the trees being either grubbed out to a depth of 

 9 to 12 inches, or burnt off to 1 or 2 inches below the surface. The former 

 method permits of the use of the set-plough, but the latter limits the farmer 

 to the stump-jump implement. 



Where dairying is intended, the practice in heavily timbered coastal dis- 

 tricts is to cut the brushwood and undergrowth, to ringbark all big trees,, 

 and, after waiting for some months, to apply a fire-stick to the dry material 

 where it lies. 



In western districts, where wool and mutton-growing are alone thought 

 of, it is usual to sweeten the soil and improve the pastures by cutting down 

 of small timber, ringbarking more or less of the larger trees, " suckering ,r 

 as required for a few years, and permitting nature to do the rest. 



Clearing for Cultivation. 



To deal fully with these various methods is unnecessary for the purposes of 

 this Handbook. The primary clearing on many properties is done by con- 

 tract, and the farmer, even if previously ignorant of this class of work,. 

 usually acquires sufficient knowledge while the contractor is on his land to- 

 enable him to proceed at his own convenience with the extension of his- 

 cleared area. A general indication of the principles underlying the different 

 methods may, however, be of use. 



A warning should be interpolated here that, if it is decided to clear by 

 contract, land which is to be put under cultivation, it is necessary to see that 

 the contractor is bound down pretty strictly as to the depth to which the 

 roots are to be run to, whether or not the timber is to be burnt on the ground, 

 and to an agreement that when the land is being broken up, the contractor 

 shall follow the plough to run any roots exposed. 



Before proceeding to the consideration of the various methods of clearing^ 

 it should be stated that there are many farmers in different parts of New 

 South Wales who do not like the practice of clearing land of green timber 

 and applying it to cultivated crops at once. They state that the results are 

 better if the timber is " rung " and allowed to die before it is removed. They 



