1 36 



hay. This is the most profitable crop, and one that is produced 

 with less labor than the threshing and bagging of wheat. Before 

 the goldfields era wheat was relied upon by the farmers." 

 (29.) "The average yield per acre." "Ten bushels of wheat, or a ton 

 of hay. A self-sown crop of wheat at Smith's farm gave 20 bushels." 

 (30.) " What are the facilities for the transport of produce to market ?" 

 " Good roads, and the Great Southern railway. Last season it was 

 difficult to get trucks, but the department is now adding considerably 

 to its rolling stock." (31.) " What fruits are grown ?" " All English 

 fruits bananas, oranges and lemons do better in the eastern dis- 

 tricts." (32.) "With what success ?" " Peaches, apricots and apples 

 thrive remarkably well, the trees making quick growth, and yielding 

 large and excellent tasting fruit at an early age. The only drawback 

 is the want of shelter from the north-west winds, which blow strongly 

 during the winter months. There is exceptionally good orchard 

 country to the eastward ; its drainage is perfect." (33.) " How much 

 Crown land is open for selection within a radius of 20 miles of the 

 railway stations ?" " To the eastward of Katanning there is a great 

 deal of eligible country available which has not yet been computed 

 or surveyed. In that locality the ground becomes more hilly than 

 it is in Katanning proper, and water is struck much nearer the sur- 

 face. Although this territory is 20 miles from the railway it 

 has been attracting the attention of the friends and relatives of some 

 of the more centrally situated settlers, because of the neighborhood 

 not having been picked over and the best places alienated. The 

 soil is of the deep chocolate kind that has been described in these 

 notes in terms of praise, and the clearing is not heavy, the growth 

 consisting largely of mallee and gimlet wood. One new settler has 

 secured 2500 acres. Near Katanning, on the western side also, the 

 best of the ground is in private hands, but a wide choice of desirable 

 public estate awaits application about 20 miles from the Katanning 

 post office." (34). "Has settlement been progressing?" "Yes, very 

 rapidly, since the Crown bought the Great Southern railway and its 

 hereditaments, as the returns of the Lands department show. 

 More land has been taken up between Beverley and Albany during 

 the last six months (from January to the end of June, 1897) than in 

 any other division of the colony. The Government land agent, Mr. 

 H. S. Ranford, on his periodical visits to Wagin Lake, has been kept 

 busy till nearly midnight receiving applications and their accom- 

 panying deposits of rent. He is authorised t<> show en- 

 quirers for land the blocks that may -be obtained, and is fur- 

 nished by the department with a buggy and pair to 

 travel with convenience and celerity. On the clay that our reporter 

 was at \Vagin Lake Mr. Ranford received applications for con- 

 ditional purchases and free homestead farms covering 2,373 acres, 

 and he forwarded to the Treasury the sum of .1/0, which had 

 been paid in for deposits and rents." (35.) " Has the co-operation 

 of the Land bank been availed of ? " " The bank is a great boon 



