"5 



harvest have been experienced. In so well watered a country the 

 rivers present facilities for irrigation, in some places by gravitation, 

 but not over any large extent of ground without pumping. The 

 configuration of the country varies from uplands and mountain 

 slopes and ridges to stretches that are almost level fells only 

 a few feet above the margin of the streams. These are ideal places 

 for what are known as " summer" gardens, i.e., , for the growth of 

 vegetables from November to April without irrigation. During 

 these months vegetables on the goldfields, and at Perth and 

 Fremantle, reach the highest prices. There is also a good sale for 

 water-melons and other varieties of the squash family, which on the 

 river bottoms to which attention is now being called would give a 

 large return. The timber varies from the smaller trees such as jam, 

 wattle and sapling gums, to large wanclos and red gums. The big 

 trees are as often as not left standing after ringing, and their roots 

 are evaded by using a stump jump plough. The cost of getting land 

 ready for the stump jump plough is stated at from 305. to 2 per 

 acre. The borrowers from the Land bank have not come largely 

 from the Williams district, which is a centre of an old settlement of 

 pioneers who are past the initial outlay and time of difficulty. The 

 Land bank's clients mostly are the younger race of men who have a 

 career of achievement opening to them. The Williams has a short, 

 mild winter, and a dry summer, in which the climate of what his 

 Excellency the late Governor Welcl described as that of the south 

 Mediterranean, is enjoyed. The air is the foe of asthma. The 

 residents are nearly all of British nationality, and most of them hold 

 more than 400 acres. The chief advantages of the district are its 

 rivers, rainfall, drainage, fertility, and the cheapness w T ith which it 

 can be cleared. The best farming aids are in general use, and 

 thoroughness of cultivation is insisted upon by those who have 

 made the most headway. The merino sheep is chiefly bred by 

 flockmasters, \vho are now giving some attention to crossing 

 with Lincolns and Leicesters, with a vie\v to increasing 

 the weight of the carcase and of the \vool clip. There 

 will be room for a much larger scope of farming work when the 

 Pinjarrah-Marradong railway is opened for traffic, owing to the 

 eligible areas of Crown lands that will be open for selection 

 within five miles north and south of the railway. A little 

 dairying is done for home consumption, but practically 

 none for market supplies. Besides the public estate that is 

 available for settlement, there are several desirable private 

 properties that are open for sale or lease. The owners of these 

 estates profess themselves as being willing to treat, on equitable 

 terms, with applicants for holdings, on the share principle, for the 

 cultivation of cleared land or the renting of unimproved blocks. 

 The district is not deemed to be adapted for subdivision into blocks 

 so small as ten or 20 acres, as there is no centre of population near 

 enough to encourage specialists in intense culture. Mixed farming 



