H4 



have been met for other yields. The land does not soon 

 become exhausted, as is proved by the fact that relying only upon 

 resting and fallowing, fields are now producing well that have been 

 under cultivation for nearly thirty years. As a vineyard and orchard 

 area the Williams does not take a second place, even in comparison 

 with Guildford or the Lower Blackwood, except that it is better 

 adapted for stone than soft fruits, for which the Blackwood has a 

 larger rainfall and a lower summer temperature. The fruitgrower 

 is advised, with the utmost confidence, to inspect the vales and flats 

 along the Murray, Hotham, Williams, Arthur, and Beaufort rivers 

 before he settles elsewhere. In spite of dingoes and poison patches 

 sheep are largely kept, in fact, they may almost be said to be the 

 mainstay of the territory. The sheep are generally paddocked in 

 enclosed blocks, from which the poison has been grubbed ; if on 

 open country, the flock is always in charge of a shepherd. Eagle- 

 hawks take a few lambs in the dropping season, and some chickens 

 from the poultry yards ; but if the wild dog could be exterminated 

 sheep owners would hardly begrudge the occasional depredations 

 of the enemy of the boodie rat and other ground vermin. The 

 mischief done by parrots and silvereyes in the fruit gardens is 

 considerable. The country is one that stock thrive upon if they are 

 guarded from poison. Not a great many cattle are kept, partly 

 because deaths from poison are so much more serious than when 

 sheep stray on to the dangerous ground. The principal grass is the 

 silver-grass, which grows thickly, and to a great height ; dandelion, 

 or Cape weed, has been making its appearance. Until Marradong 

 is passed the extent of arable land in one piece is not more than 

 about 100 acres. On either side the hills wall in the valley closely. 

 Beyond the Marradong the valley widens out ; and around 

 Boranning Mr. W. Lavender and others have hundreds of acres, 

 without a break, if you wished to run a plough, from end to end. 

 Until the land of the Great Southern company were acquired by 

 the state, a newcomer would have accounted himself fortunate if he 

 had been able to secure as much as fifty acres together, fit for culti- 

 vation. There is a better prospect at the present time, for the 

 company, having an early choice of the lands of the district, picked 

 most of I he best that were available, and then put an almost pro- 

 hibitive figure upon them. It should, therefore, our advisors slate, 

 be borne in mind that, owing to settlement having been retarded on 

 some of the choicest sections, due to the operations of the railway 

 company, anew arrival now has, in the Williams district, a chance 

 that would have passed away had the Crown always been able 

 to deal unrestrictedly in finding a suitable location for would-be 

 producers. The country is so well watered by live rivers and their 

 tributaries that the artificial conservation of water is not one of the 

 initial difficulties of the conditional purchaser. Drought is unknown, 

 in the sense of implying a scarcity of water for the use of man or of 

 stock, but dry seaxMis which have had a prejudicial effect upon the 



