oe 
¥ 
390 H. G. McKINNEY. 
of orchards, is regularly carried out. This is highly encouraging 
progress, especially when it is borne in mind that since records of 
the rainfall and of the river levels began to be kept no such suc- 
cession of wet seasons as we have lately been favoured with was 
ever experienced. Ina number of cases in which irrigation of 
fodder crops was carried on in dry or ordinary seasons, such irriga- 
tion has in recent years been wholly or partially suspended ; but 
this is more than counterbalanced by the increase in the number 
of cases in which pumping machinery for this purpose has been 
brought into use and by the extension of knowledge of the subject 
and its importance. 
During three years, from 1889 till 1892, prizes were awarded 
by the Government for the best irrigated farms and orchards. 
Having had the honour of being one of three judges in the first of 
these years, and sole judge in the other two, I had excellent: 
opportunities of observing the progress which is being made. The 
competitors west of the Dividing Range represented properties on 
the Namoi, Lachlan, and Murrumbidgee Rivers and the Gilmore 
Creek, a tributary of the Tumut River. Those east of the Dividing 
Range represented the Hawkesbury, the Parramatta, and the 
Bega districts. From some cause or other a number of irrigators, 
particularly on the western rivers, did not compete, although their 
properties would have attracted favourable notice if they had 
been entered. The properties which were entered showed in a 
number of instances a highly creditable class of work, and showed 
also that the irrigators had the ability and judgment to select the 
methods best adapted to their circumstances. 
The properties entered, though not numerous, embraced orchards, 
mixed farms, and farms specially intended for providing fodder on 
pastoral estates. In some cases the conditions were all in favour 
of the irrigators, but in others it was surprising that irrigation 
was ever attempted. The most remarkable case of irrigation 
under difficult circumstances which I have seen, was that success- 
fully carried out by Mr. Wren, Manager of the Kameruka Estate 
near Bega. As a considerable quantity of fodder was required on 
