38 Agricultural and Horticultural Resources. 



intersected by ranges, barren rather than fertile ; but in many- 

 localities profusely traversed by reefs, more or less rich in 

 gold and other metals. 



Albury and River Murray District. 



From the Albury and Murray River Agricultural Society 

 we learn that — 



Agricultural and horticultural operations are very primitive in 

 places so remote and so thinly populated aa the Albury and Murray 

 River District. 



The general description of crops grown, and the average yield per 

 acre is as follows : — 



Wheat ... ... 20 bushels per acre. 



Barley ... ... 25 „ 



Oats ... ... ... 30 „ 



Maize ... ... 40 „ 



Sorghum saccharatum, lucerne, Trifolium incarnatum, white and 

 red clovers, English and Italian rye, and other grasses, hops, and 

 cotton seem on experiment suited to the locality. 



The grape vine promises to become the staple production of this loca- 

 lity, and there are already several vineyards, varying in extent from 

 fifteen acres down to a quarter of an acre ; nearly every cottage having 

 a vineyard of its own. 



In the year 1850 a few Germans settled here, and in a short time 

 were followed by about three hundred others, most of whom are 

 experienced vignerons. Every year adds to their number, and to the 

 extent of the vineyards. 



Wine, in considerable quantity, has been produced from the different 

 varieties of grapes, among which may be alluded to the Scyras, 

 Malbec, Brown Muscat, Hermitage, Reisling, Carbenet Sauvignon. 

 The quality of the wine has, by connoisseurs, been pronounced excel- 

 lent. 



Potatoes produce two crops annually, the second crop frequently 

 proving better than the first ; larger experience, greater inducements, 

 and facilities for irrigation, will bring about results little dreamt of. 



There are portions of this district entirely un suited, by the aridity 

 of the climate, for agricultural operations. Of course, in the most 

 rainy season, and in favored situations, instances have been known of 

 the crops reaching maturity, and producing fairly ; but, generally 

 speaking, it is found to be labor lost, as the crops become prematurely 

 ripe, and the grain useless. In the neighborhood of Albury, and for 

 twenty to fifty miles down the Itiver Murray, the aridity of the climate 

 is less. At Albury and upwards, during a period of ten years, a 

 failure of crops has been unknown. 



Situated as we are, possessing great facilities for irrigation, I have 

 never known but two instances where experiments of this nature have 

 been tried, and they were both successful, completely counteracting 

 iiny natural aridity peculiar to the particular localities ; and it is only 

 caused by scarcity of population, absence of skilled labor, aud conse- 

 quent expense, that a system of artificial irrigation is not more exten- 

 sively employed, as the very best expedient to obviate the ill effects of 

 dry seasons, and to improve the yield of even the most fertile places, 



