20 Irrigation Farming- in Australia. 



The proprietors of the Pioneer and Kalamia Estates (Lower 

 Burdekin) render liberal assistance to growers, who realise the 

 necessity of irrigating- their cane areas. The utility of growing 

 cane by irrigation was forcibly impressed upon one grower in this 



THE HARVESTER AT WORK 



district by practical results. Previously his crops were generally 

 unprofitable, but, encouraged by the experiences of his neighbours, 

 he decided to accept the assistance of the millowners, who fitted up 

 a plant for him at a cost price of between $1440.00 and $1920.00, 

 the payments extending over a number of years. From the first 

 season's crop this grower increased his yield by fully 75 per cent., 

 and as a result realised a substantial profit. To-day there are 121 

 growers irrigating an area aggregating 5590 acres in the Lower 

 .Burdekin district. 



The irrigation plant on Bingera plantation was installed in 

 1901 at a cost of $144,000.00. The water is pumped from the Burnett 

 River into a reservoir of 8,000,000 gallons, whence it is distributed 

 by natural gravitation through pipes and open drains. There has 

 been no necessity to use the Bundaberg plants for some years owing 

 to the prevalence of good rain seasons. 



About 2000 acres of cane are irrigated on the Fairymead planta- 

 tion. 



Steps are being taken by the State Government to create a 

 water trust in the Lower Burdekin irrigation district. 



Tasmania. 



Tasmania, southernmost State of all, is blessed with a rainfall 

 all over its surface, which would make artificial irrigation absurd. 



