124 



E. T. Quayle: 



and fell to 130,000 in 1909-10, a very good season. Then, on 

 to 1914, the increase was marked, and in 1913-4 reached 317,000 

 acres. Since then, or to April, 1918, there seems to have been 

 little or no progress, the rainfall having been very abundant. 



In attempting to show some possible effects of this upon the 

 rainfall, one must assume that we have some groups of stations 

 in the neighbourhood affected, and some unaffected by the eva- 

 poration from these areas. For the latter, I chose Echuca, 

 Numurkah and Yarrawonga, which are all north or north-east 

 from the principal area, though Echuca may now be affected 

 by the Murray irrigation lower down. For the former we have 

 Sheppparton, Tatura, Murchison, most favourably situated to 

 benefit as they are south-east from the Rodney irrigation area. 

 Kyabram is too well within the area to benefit fully, and Roches- 

 ter and Elmore are south-west of it. As a check group we may 

 take Violet Town, Euroa and Benalla, which are further to south- 

 east, probably too far to benefit appreciably, but useful .to 

 throw light upon variations in rainfall distribution during the 

 decades. Another group is Rushworth, Whroo, Nagambie and 

 Seymour. From Waranga Reservoir the first is 2\ miles south- 

 west, the second 6 miles south-south-west, Nagambie 15, and 

 Seymour 33 miles south of it. These also, it may be assumed, 

 would not be so likely to benefit as the winds reaching them 

 from the Rodney irrigation areas would require a slight easterly 

 component, and the other areas are rather remote. The results 

 may be shown as follows, expressing the means for each station 

 for the successive decades, 1885-94, 1895-1904, 1905-1914, in 

 terms of the first as unit. 



Stations 

 Echuca - 



ASSUMED 



- 1-00 



- 100 



- 100 



u 



NAFFECTED. 



•72 - -78 

 •65 - -74 

 •72 - -76 



Stations 

 Shepparton 



Murchison 

 Tatura 



ASSl 



JMED 



100 



Affected. 

 - -84 ■ 



•91 



Numurkah 

 Yarrawonga 



1-00 

 100 

 1-00 



. 



•75 - 



•77 - 

 •77 - 



•80 

 •81 

 •83 



Mean - 



- 



100 



- 



•70 



- 



•76 



Mean - 

 Kyabram - 



or 



1-00 

 100 

 100 



- 



•76.- 



•78 - 

 •71 - 



•81 

 •84 

 •80 



Check Groups. 



South-Eastern. 



Benalla - - 100 - 79 - 

 Euroa - - 1 00 - "75 - 

 Violet Town - 1-00 - -75 - 



•75 

 •79 



•77 



Rushworth 

 Whroo - 

 Nagambie 

 Seymour 



Southern. 



- 1-00 - 



- 1-00 - 



- L00 - 



- l'OO - 



•66 - 

 •71 - 

 •72 - 



•77 - 



•73 

 •75 

 •76 



•78 



Mean - - 100 - 76 - 



•77 



Mean - 



- 1-00 - 



•715 - 



•755 



