^6 E. T. Qtiayle: 



Peninsula, and at Waratta Vale, in the east of Eyre Peninsula. 

 In view of the expanses of sea included, it might seem absurd to 

 connect these areas and to attribute the rainfall increases to 

 any land improvements, but it is nevertheless true that such 

 would be quite in accordance with what has been already 

 ■described for other regions. Waratta Vale lies south-east from 

 an area which has undergone rapid improvement during the last 

 decade. In 1890 the counties FUnders and Jervois could only 

 show 23,000 acres under cultivation, and it was only in 1906 that 

 100,000 was reached, but from 1910 to 1918 the average cultiva- 

 tion acreage was over 320,000 acres. This means much clearing 

 of Mallee scrub. In Yorke Peninsula, too, the increase was very 

 marked, amounting to more than 200,000 over the average acre- 

 age from 1890 to 1900, or from' about 130,000 to 350,000 acres. 

 This latter has recently become, owing to the use of fertilisers 

 and improved methods generally, one of the most important 

 granaries of South Australia. 



Cultivation in the South-East and East. 



The most rapid development in South Australian cultivation 

 during recent years is in the counties Albert, Alfred, Chandos 

 and Buccleuch, south of the Murray, and adjoining Victoria. 

 Prior to 1908 the cultivation was almost negligible, less than 

 100,000 acres altogether. In 1916 their total was over 670,000 

 acres. Any rainfall improvement due to this would, however, 

 mainly afifect the adjacent Victorian Mallee areas, most of which 

 are at present quite undeveloped. It is more than probable, 

 however, that the improved rainfall shown about and south from 

 Lake Hindmarsh is due to that. Moreover, in the recently de- 

 veloped Mallee areas along the Murrayvale-Ouyen line, the 

 rainfall has proved better than was expected. 



Explanatory Notes. 



The objection might be raised that the great length of the 

 rain improvement strip S.E. from Lake Torrens is out of all 

 proportion to the area of the lake. This may be met by remem- 

 bering that there may be many re-evaporations and re-descents 

 as rain of the moisture obtained from the lake. Every moistening 

 of any area helps the rain prospects for that in lee of it. Another 

 point is that the hours of most active evaporation and precipi- 

 tation are not the same. Thunderstorm rains are heaviest and 



