32 



Clauses 4 and 5 need 110 explanation, unless it is to say that, the 

 reason for having the ashes spread is that they are a most valuable 

 potash manure, and should be made as much use of, and spread over 

 as large a surface of ground as possible. Clause 6 is inserted at 

 discretion. If work is very plentiful, and the settler has a large 

 area, it may be omitted ; but if the area is 100 acres or less, the 

 economy of firewood cannot, begin too soon. It may appear to the 

 settler that there is plenty of wood for all the world, and for ever ; 

 but even if there was, there is no sense in wasting it. There is no 

 sense in wasting anything, so far as my experience goes. But, as a 

 matter of fact, it does not take very long, if clearing is vigorously 

 pursued, to exhaust the wood supplies on a 100-acre farm ; for it 

 must be borne in mind that, even with the most careful management, 

 about 80 per cent, of what would otherwise be available for firewood 

 has to be used in burning the trunks and butts of trees that cannot 

 be utilised. 



It is important that no holes should be filled until they have 

 been examined for roots, and when they are filled in they should be 

 heaped up a little, in order to allow for the settling down of the 

 loose soil that must eventually take place. It is for the person 

 letting the contract to say whether he will supply tree pullers, tools, 

 explosives, and rations. As a rule, the contractors supply them- 

 selves with all these things, and it is better, as it saves possible 

 complications, that they should. 



Before going any further, I should like to impress upon the 

 minds of not only new settlers, but old settlers also, the desirable- 

 ness of having all contracts made in writing. Memory is so apt to 

 play us false ; black and white, never. The risks to both sides of 

 acting upon a verbal agreement are infinitely greater than com miting 

 oneself to any serious error in signing a written contract that- has 

 been mutually agreed upon. 



To return to clearing, and the new and inexperienced settler 

 who has, perforce, to undertake the work himself. 



On clearing the lighter soils, which generally, in this State, 

 mean lighter and easily removed timber, there is very little to be 

 said. Common sense in this, as in everything else, must be the 

 settler's best guide. It may be that it will be considered desirable, 

 the first year, to leave all the large timber standing, in which case 

 it should be ring-barked at once, no matter what time of the year 

 and grub out only the small stuff, say 12 inches in diameter "and 

 under. If the large trees are not too thick, this can be done 

 with advantage, and the ground can be ploughed " scruffed up " 

 is the better expression, as it is hardly ploughing, under the cir- 

 cumstanceswith a stump-jump plough. This plough, as its 

 name implies, is constructed in such a manner as to permit 

 ground of the very roughest kind being worked. If an obstacle 

 which cannot be cut through is encountered by the share, 

 the movable beam is raised by the tractive force, and, after the 

 obstacle is passed, the share falls into the land again and recom- 



