Wentworth's New South Wales. 
649 
hogs, I was reluctantly compelled to 
take a more easterly course, having 
practically proved that the country 
could not be traversed on any point 
deviating from the main range of^hills 
which bound the interior, although 
pariial dry portions of level alluvial 
extend from their base westerly to a 
distance which I estimate to exceed 
lot) miles before it is gradually lost in 
the waters which I am clearly convinced 
cover the interim-. 
SYSTEM OP AGRICULTURE. 
The system of agriculture pursued 
in this colony does not materially differ 
from that which prevails in the parent 
country. During the earlier stages of 
these settlements, the hoe-husbandry 
was a necessary evil; but the great in¬ 
crease in the stock of horses and cattle 
has at last almost completely superseded 
it; and the plough-husbandry is now, 
and has been for many years past, in 
general practice. In new lands, in¬ 
deed, the hoe is still unavoidably used 
during the first year of their cultiva¬ 
tion, on account of the numerous roots 
and other impediments to the plough, 
with which lands in a state of nature 
invariably abound; but excepting these 
occasions, and the instances of settlers, 
who are unable to purchase horses or 
oxen,- and consequently adhere to the 
original mode of cultivation from ne¬ 
cessity, the hoe-husbandry is complet ely 
exploded. 
Wheat, maize, barley, oats, and rye, 
are all grown in this colony; but the 
two former are most cultivated. The 
climate appears to be rather too warm 
for the common species of barley and 
oats ; but the poorer soils produce them 
of a tolerably good quality. The skin¬ 
less barley, or as it is termed by some, 
the Siberian wheat, arrives at very 
great perfection, and is in every respect 
much superior to the common species 
of barley; but the culture of this grain 
is limited to the demand which is 
created for it by the colonial breweries ; 
the Indian corn, or maize, being much 
better adapted for the food of horses, 
oxen, pigs, and poultry. 
The wheat harvest commences par¬ 
tially about the middle of November, 
and is generally over by Christmas. 
The maize, however, is not ripe until 
the end of March, and the gathering is 
not complete throughout the colony be¬ 
fore the middle of May. 
HORTICULTURE, &C. 
Potatoes, cabbages, carrots, parsnips, 
turnips, pease, beans, cauliflowers, bro- 
Monthly Mag. No. 363. 
coli, asparagus, lettuces, onions, and m 
fact all the species of vegetables known 
in England, are produced in this co¬ 
lony ; many of them attain a much su¬ 
perior degree of perfection, but a few 
also degenerate. To the former class 
belong the cauliflower and brocoli, and 
the different varieties of the pea; to 
the latter the bean and potatoe. For 
the bean, in particular, the climate ap¬ 
pears too hot, and it is only to he ob¬ 
tained in the stiffest clays and the 
dampest situations. The potatoe, how¬ 
ever, is produced on ail soils in the 
greatest abundance, but the quality is 
not near so good as in this country. 
The colony is justly famed for the 
goodness and variety of its fruits: 
peaches, apricots, nectarines, oranges, 
lemons, citrons, loquets, guavas, cher¬ 
ries, Cape, China, and English mul¬ 
berries, walnuts, Spanish chesnuts, al¬ 
monds, medlars, quinces, grapes, pears, 
plums, figs, pomegranates, raspberries, 
strawberries, and melons of all sorts, 
attain the highest degree of maturity in 
the open air ; and even the pine-apple 
may be produced merely by the aid of 
the common forcing-glass. The cli¬ 
mate, however, of Port Jackson, is 
not altogether congenial to the growth 
of the apple, currant, and gooseberry ; 
although the whole of these fruits are 
produced there, and the ripple, in pai- 
ticular, in very great abundance; but 
it is decidedly inferior in quality to the 
apple of this country. 
PRICE OP CATTLE, &C. 
The price of all manner of stock is 
almost incredibly moderate, considei- 
ing the short period which has elapsed 
since the foundation of the colony. A 
very good horse for the cart or plough 
may be had from £10 to £15, and a 
better saddle or gig horse from £20 to 
£30, than could be obtained in this 
country for double the money. Very 
good milch cows may be bought from 
£8 to £10; working oxen for about 
the same price ; and fine young breed¬ 
ing ewes from £1 to £3, according to 
the quality of their fleeces. 
PRICE OF LABOUR. 
The price of labour is at present very 
low, and is still further declining, in 
consequence of the demand for it not 
equalling the supply. Upon the es¬ 
tablishment of the Colonial Bank, and 
the consequent suppression of that vile 
medium of circulation, termed the co* 
lonial currency, between which and 
British sterling there used to be a dif= 
ferenee of value of from £50 to £100 
4 N per 
