THE FAliM HOLDING. 



L57 



" I feel sure the best method to adopt for belah and pirre is frill ringing. 

 i.e., not to take off a strip of bark but to wrench the axe slightly when it 

 enters the tree. This is a cheaper method than chip ringing and is quite as 

 effective. Re above timbers, we find feed grows through it four months after 

 treating, though the trees may not die within a year to eighteen months. 

 Odd ones will die almost immediately.** — Mr. Parker, Mena Murtie, Wil- 

 cannia. 



" In ringbarking pine, yarren, &c, such trees as do not sucker, the 

 better plan is the quicker one, such as what is known as frill ringing. Just 

 one chop with the axe round the tree, meeting the cuts in the wood, and then 

 giving the axe a wrench, so as to make sure you miss none between the 

 cuts." — Mr. Madden, The Rookery. 



Several correspondents referred to the necessity of leaving the timber in 

 the vicinity of tanks for shade and breakwinds. 



Results from Ringbarking. 



In order to give some concrete example of the benefits derived from ring- 

 barking, the writer obtained the stock returns supplied to the Cobar Pastures 

 Protection Board for the last five years, and ascertained the actual carrying 

 capacities of several properties in the district, all more or less contiguous. 



The total areas embrace over 860,000 acres, and, as far as appearances go, 

 are much the same as regards quality of soil. The country is red, and the 

 principal timbers are box, gum {Eucalyptus intertexta, sometimes called 

 Coolabah), ironwood, pine, yarren, mulga, &c. 



As a basis of calculation one head of large stock has been assumed to be 

 equal to six sheep, and each property has carried upwards of 60 head of 

 cattle. 



The places are managed by men of long experience in the West, therefore 

 the reader may be assured that the properties have been wisely stocked. 



These figures may be stated in a somewhat different way. Assuming the 

 properties to be of equal carrying capacity under similar conditions, and 

 raking one sheep to 24 acres as the standard for virgin land (as based on the 

 capacity of property No. 2, none of which is ringbarked). the value of the 



