The crop was only of three weeks' growth ; the land had produced 

 cereals for several seasons without a rest, and the part that had 

 been left to nature showed some signs of exhaustion, the wheat 

 plants being thin and somewhat pale in colour. The phosphates 

 had sent up a strong growth which had stooled out so thickly as to 

 suggest that less than 45 Ibs. of wheat to the acre would have been 

 an ample sowing. This part of the crop was from six to eight 

 inches high ; the portion that had no phosphates was only half as 

 high, and it had a straggling, not to say by comparison sickly 

 appearance. The crop was put in with a Massey-Harris cultivator, 

 an excellent machine in the estimation of the Messrs. Piesse, but 

 they state that an improved implement that \vill sow the fertiliser 

 and the seed in drills at one operation is now being manufactured by 

 the firm mentioned from a design sent from Australia. A sample of 

 the new machine will be at work at Katanning next year. The pad- 

 docks which we inspected are not representative of the better class 

 of land that is to be seen on the properties of some growers a few miles 

 out of the townsite; but a central position was of the first importance 

 to the Messrs. Piesse, in order that they might be able to superintend 

 their clearing and cultivating operations without losing time from 

 the conduct of their large trade. They- have assisted many a selec- 

 tor to get a start by supplying him with stores and implements on 

 easy terms of payment. They had 500 acres of crop in when data 

 was being collected for the GUIDE, and their enterprise in adding 

 paddock to paddock was spoken of as having been a stimulus to 

 others to imitate their success. In one year their harvest was 

 threatened by an inundation from the railway dam, owing to the em- 

 bankment of the line, which is close to their western boundary, not 

 having been pierced to provide waterways. While the railway was 

 in the hands of the company it was difficult for farmers to obtain 

 relief from the danger of flood in a wet season owing to the lack of 

 culverts, but the Government are prepared to make them wherever 

 gocd reason can be shown. In addition to growing cereals, Mr. F. 

 H. Piesse has laid out 80 acres adjacent to the railway station and 

 the orchard of the Western Australian Land company, for the growth 

 of fruit of nearly every kind. The orchard is a first-class one, on 

 which money has been freely expended, and which is now coming 

 into full bearing. Last year at the Newcastle show Mr. Piesse made 

 a great display of apples, peaches and apricots, and was a leading 

 prize-taker. The orchard is on the side of a hill, so that it is in a 

 sunny, well-drained situation ; it is less than six years old, and as an 

 example of the fruit-growing capabilities of the south it is sufficiently 

 convincing. The adjoining orchard of the Western Australian Land 

 company was planted as an object lesson of the same kind, and it is 

 thriving well enough to fulfil its mission, if oranges and lemons are 

 excepted from the list of fruits that Katanning produces in perfec- 

 tion. Another notable property is the estate of His Excellency Lord 

 Brassey, Governor of the colony of Victoria, who, at a very early date 



