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west. The resumption of the Great Southern land grants have such 

 an important bearing upon the inducements that are offered by 

 Western Australia, that the short history that has been given of the 

 career and operations of the company has been needed to elucidate 

 the t'.ict that there is, close to a main line passing through a territory 

 240 miles long, and possessing good soil, a temperate climate, 

 and a t'air rainfall, greater room for settlement than in any other 

 quarter of the colony, owing to the locking up of the lands for about 

 ten years. In other words, had the railway been laid by the Govern- 

 ment, settlement would have been encouraged instead of being 

 checked, as it was by the interposition of private ownership of the 

 land, and desirable areas, which are now awaiting occupation,, 

 would have been beyond the reach of the selector. The advantages 

 these areas possess will be appreciated before the close of this 

 chapter is perused by the reader. 



Professor William Brown, principal of the Longerenong 

 agricultural college, Victoria, who travelled through the southern 

 district in 1890, found that the country possessed a climate of the 

 most delightful character for residence and certain agricultural 

 productions. As there is a large water frontage, dense forests, and 

 a great variety of aspect by hills and valleys, there are some of the 

 in >st favorable conditions for rainfall and its conservation. Near 

 Albany the temperature seldom goes over 85 degrees, and never 

 under 36 degrees in the shade. The climate is therefore that of the 

 south of England. Farther north the temperature gradually 

 increases, until in summer it reaches about 100 degrees in the shade,. 

 at Beverley. " With such a geographical range, then, the variety of 

 soil and shelter, the water supply, sea coast resorts, together with 

 the abundance of timber and open valleys, there are attractions of 

 the most substantial sort for settlement. Indeed, the question is one 

 of ' What is it you want ?' and not of ' What can I get ?' It is 

 evident, then, that any branch of farming and gardening can be 

 entered upon under proper choice. On the sea coast and along; 

 the southern sections English grasses and green fodders will 

 luxuriate, and thus induce to dairying as a leading pursuit, though 

 there, also, culinary crops and some fruits will be successfully 

 cultivated. The international seaport of Albany cannot fail in drawing 

 out the capabilities of that district. Mount Barker, with its more 

 suitable soil and climate, will unquestionably look to the production 

 of fruit ; the Stirling rangj is decidedly one best adapted to sheep 

 ra sing, while those of Broome Hill and Katanning are evidently for 

 the cereals, and, indeed, if required, for any other thing in agricul- 

 ture and gardening. The latter sections are of high value." To an 

 interviewer, Mr. Brown stated that he had made a thorough 

 examination of the south from a farmer's standpoint. His brief and 

 strong statement is that " not the other colonies only, but even the 

 people of Western Australia themselves, evidently do not know how 

 much is waiting for development." He saw thousands of acres in 



