90 E. T. Quayle: 



dependent mainly upon ''southern" disturbances for their rains 

 showed a very definite decrease. We therefore have in South 

 Australia and New South Wales a belt of country some 250 

 miles long and 70 miles wide which has had during the decade, 

 in spite of a general downward tendency elsewhere, a decided 

 increase in its rainfall. 



Another improved strip, again lying N.W. and S.E., and there- 

 fore parallel to that just defined, begins on the west side of 

 Spencer Gulf at Waratta Vale, some 40 miles north of Port Lin- 

 coln, and includes the foot of Yorke Peninsula and the eastern 

 half of Kangaroo Island. 



In looking for causes for these rainfall improvements, it is 

 evident that irrigation can be disregarded. No serious attempts 

 at irrigation have been made in South Australia, excepting, of 

 course, those now in progress on the Murray, which in any case 

 could only help Victoria. 



We have to consider, therefore, only the alteration in the 

 surface; the substitution of crops or grass for Mallee scrub or 

 other drought-resistant vegetation, and the variations in the 

 water suppHes of the great inland lakes. The settlement of the 

 country has brought about considerable changes in these 

 respects. Unfortunately I have so far been able to get but little 

 direct information more than that contained in the Statistical 

 Registers, which deal only with production. 



It is interesting to note that in general where throughout the 

 30-year period, 1885-1914, land occupation was complete and 

 but little progress shown in cultivation and stock raising, there 

 is also no improvement in the rainfall in lee of the area. This 

 applies to the southern half of the country between St. Vincent's 

 Gulf and the Murray River. County Adelaide, for example, has 

 been practically stationary from 1884 to 1918 as regards horses, 

 cattle, sheep and the area under cultivation. 



Going northward, we find Counties Gawler and Light have 

 Tnade only very trifling increases in stock, though the years 

 1909-18 show a 35 per cent, increase in the area under culti- 

 vation. The Lower North (lat. 33-34) also shows an almost 

 stationary condition as regards stock, but considerable progress 

 in agriculture, the increase in area amounting to nearly 60 per 

 cent. There is a definite rainfall improvement of up to 9 or 10 

 per cent, in lee of these areas, or over a N.-S. strip of 120 miles 

 long, and about 20 miles wide. 



