PROGRESS AND POSITION OF IRRIGATION IN N.S.W. 393 
beside the homesteads of a large proportion of the landowners. 
But in addition to this, irrigation has been in many places suc- 
cessfully adopted by professional fruitgrowers. In the western 
districts it may be stated that as a rule fruit cannot be grown 
except by this means, but it is somewhat surprising that the best 
managed irrigated orchards which I have seen are in the coast 
district. 1t is improbable, however, that this supremacy will be 
long maintained. When the owner of an orchard ten acres in 
extent spends nearly £200 ona steam boiler, pump, and piping 
for irrigation, and finds that his outlay gives a highly profitable 
return, there is clearly a good field for such enterprise and a fair 
margin to allow for mistakes. Such outlay under such circum- 
stances has actually been incurred in several instances in the 
coast district and with the result stated. 
In connection with irrigation of orchards it may be here men- 
tioned that great advantages to intending irrigators are likely to 
be obtained in the Irrigation Trusts at Hay, Balranald, and 
Wentworth. The Municipal Council of each of these towns has 
been constituted an Irrigation Trust by special Act of Parliament 
and in each case a highly valuable grant of land has been given 
free by Government for subdivision among intending settlers. 
The Trusts have to obtain the necessary pumping plant for raising 
the water, and have to construct the works for its distribution. 
The settlers will ve required to fulfil certain reasonable conditions 
as to residence and cultivation and to pay interest, working 
expenses, and sinking fund. ‘The present time is very unfavour- 
able for starting new enterprises like these, but there is a strong 
probability that notwithstanding this fact two of these Trusts 
will soon be in a position to commence operations. 
The question of utilising for irrigation the surplus water from 
artesian bores, is one with which I had to deal when it first 
attracted attention, three or four years ago. I then suggested 
the advisability of using the available supply of water at every 
artesian bore for the purpose of raising crops—fodder by prefer- 
ence—which might be required in a time of drought. The district 
