

Irrigation Farming in Australia. 39 



Henderson and Johannsen (from Manchester, England), Shep- 

 parton, Victoria. Block, 60 acres 30 young fruit trees, 12 lucerne. 

 Started eighteen months ago with $4320.00. Their house cost 

 $1680.00! Have six cows and four horses. Require ten cows to pay 

 their way until trees bear. Their young orchard alone is worth 

 about $2880.00 now.. Consider settler should have at least $2400.00 

 to start with, as they did. Had small mixed -farming experience in 

 England. 



H. Paget (Australian), Werribee, Victoria. 39 acres 15 

 lucerne, a few vegetables. Has been on block five months. Unim- 

 proved value of land $105.60 an acre. Came with $2280,00, includ- 

 ing value of five horses, a waggon, and four cows. Did his own 

 clearing and fencing. Cows return $1.72 a week each. Makes $9.60 

 a month out of four pigs. Intends plant more lucerne and 7 acres 

 trees. Will run fowls.. Reckons will not have spent $1440.00 before 

 block is paying for itself. 



W. Lennon (from Staffordshire), Yanco, New South Wales. 

 50 acres 10 lucerne, remainder cereal. Intends dairy farming only; 

 no fruit. Came two years ago with $1440.00. Block rent is $96.00 

 per annum.. House cost $516 for materials, and another $96.00 to 

 build. Cleared and fenced block himself, also did six weeks' work 

 for the Irrigation Commission at $2.40 a day wages. Work on block 

 represents only one year's work, as he came before water was avail- 

 able. Has ten cows, five young heifers, and a few pigs. Will 

 gradually increase his stock. Cows return him $1.56 a week each in 

 cream. Block is now paying for itself.. 



P. Le Bas (from Channel Islands), Yanco, New South Wales. 

 54 acres 20 lucerne, rest cereal. No fruit. Came with less than 

 $480.00 and wife and child. Has five cows, which return him $6.48 

 a month each in cream. Intends dairy farming; will run ten or 

 twelve cows, and let them pay the rent, and will pay off house money 

 by selling hay. Intends to hold the land for five years, and then sell 

 out at a profit. Did his own clearing and fencing, and helped build 

 house ; made most of his own furniture and farm gates, &c. 



P. D. Williams (from Sutton, Surrey), Yanco, New South 

 Wales. Father, three sons, and two daughters have each 50 acres, 

 and run as one 3OO-acre farm. All under lucerne. Their project is 

 to take up sheep station near by in the drier country, and use fodder 

 grown on their irrigation block. Have spent $24,000,00 in last two 

 years, but have built expensive house, and had all fencing and clear- 

 ing done by contract. Have tried ranching in California, and prefer 

 Australia. 



J. Craig (England), Yanco, New South Wales. Brother farm- 

 ing with him ; together run 180 acres 22 lucerne, 70 cereal, 17 

 peaches, 15 oranges. Came nearly two years ago; have spent 

 $10,800.00 on the place. House cost $1680.00; employed labour to 

 clear, fence, and plant trees. Put in peach trees as soon as land 

 cleared ; these trees should bear well next season. Lucerne is 

 young; cut it early to stool it out, and got 5 cwt. to acre. Hay crop 

 averaged 2^ tons to acre. Made about $3360.00 this year by selling 



