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hand. Like the mallee lands of Victoria, it has been recently 

 demonstrated that our forest lands, at one time entirely discarded, 

 are to be a great source of national wealth. The returns this year 

 (1896) from the forest lands are peculiarly encouraging. To those 

 who have Iveu through our back country this spring the convic- 

 tion must have been forcibly driven home that the area of our 

 agricultural lands is much wider than was formerly imagined. From 

 all directions most gratifying reports from the holders of forest lands 

 are to hand, and this class of country is rapidly growing in the 

 estimation of our farmers. So largely is this the case that the 

 margin of cultivation is yearly being forced back to regions where 

 a scanty rainfall has hitherto developed the idea that successful 

 wheat-growing was not practicable there." The first-class lands 

 are surrounded by areas of second and third class country. These 

 areas are admirably adapted for stock raising. In the white gum 

 country and on the sand plains rough scrub and grasses grow, on 

 which stock thrive. Mixed farming will have to be undertaken in 

 this class of country. Wheat-farming alone, it is universally recog- 

 nised, cannot pay in the long run. To work the ground satisfac- 

 torily the soil must be periodically rested and enriched by the 

 droppings of the stock which are kept to feed down its stubble 

 and its weeds. Suppose a farmer selects, say, 640 acres of first- 

 class land under conditional purchase and a free homestead farm 

 of 160 acres and 5,000 acres of third-class land under the homestead 

 lease system, he will thus be able to grow abundant crops and 

 keep a fair quantity of stock. Every fanner in the eastern districts 

 practices mixed farming, and owing to the success of this season it 

 may be expected that in a few years grazing country will be as 

 eagerly sought after as the first-class forests are now. But in run- 

 ning stock through the white gum grazing lands the settler must 

 beware of the poison plants, chiefly of the box species, which are 

 especially dangerous in early summer. Where these occur the 

 poison patches should be fenced out or grubbed out, or the sheep 

 should be tended. By taking these precautions losses are avoided. 

 The agricultural lands are not infested with poison, which is not 

 greatly to be dreaded if the proper methods of managing stock 

 where it is found are understood and carried out. 



Some of the richest lands in Western Australia are to be found 

 in the districts of Dangin, Cubbine and Youndegin, which lie 

 between Greenhills and the Southern Cross line. W r hen the railway 

 from Greenhills (the first section of which from York to Greenhills 

 is now being laid) is extended to the Yilgarn route, a splendid tract of 

 country will be tapped. Hereabout some of the best blocks are 

 held under what are known as pastoral poison leases a system 

 of land alienation which will be dealt with more in detail under a 

 separate heading, with a view to pointing out what are deemed to 

 be weak points of early legislation on this subject. While poison 

 land was deemed to be suitable, after it was cleared of the noxious 



