Agricultural and Horticultural Resources. 37 



wurzel, carrots, lucerne, and turnips, are stated by the local 

 society to thrive admirably. 



The best crops of wheat are obtained off the stiff clay 

 soils, and of oats, off the light dry land ; and it is pleasing to 

 learn that, inasmuch as the district is subject to no adverse 

 influence, it may be regarded as peculiarly adapted for the 

 extension of agriculture, the proportion under cultivation at 

 the present time, taking the area of the district as forty miles 

 in diameter, being one acre under crop to forty acres of waste 

 land. 



Gisborne District. 



From the report of the Association, we learn that on the 

 deep alluvial and volcanic soils " abounding in that moist and 

 elevated portion of the country lying around the base of Mount 

 Macedon/' there is every facility for carrying on agriculture. 



In addition to very large crops of cereals, all the root crops 

 and English grasses grow extremely well, as much as 60 tons 

 of mangold wurzel having been produced per acre ; and an 

 instance is given of a ten-acre field of self-sown white clover, 

 irrigated by one of the mountain streams, keeping as much 

 stock as 200 acres of the best pasture land. 



The average returns of farm produce are for — 



Oats ... 50 to 60 bushels per acre. 



Wheat 



. 30 to 40 



Barley 



. 50 



Oaten hay . . 



2| tons 



Potatoes 



5 to 6 tons 



It is worthy of note, in reference to the preceding, as to all 

 the returns of produce previously quoted, that these results 

 have been obtained without the aid of manure of any kind ; 

 the regular application of the latter, and the systematic rota- 

 tion of cropping having only very partially prevailed hitherto 

 among the farmers of the colony. 



DIVISION II. — NORTH OF THE DIVIDING RANGE, AND SOUTH 

 OF THE RIVER MURRAY. 



This subdivision of the colony is particularly well watered 

 towards its eastern parts, which are traversed by the south- 

 eastern tributaries of the Murray River. It abounds in patches 

 of the very best agricultural land, and in rich pastures 



