426 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNANL. [1 Dec., 1897. 
yield, some think that the area cut for hay and that burnt off should not 
be included with that cut for grain. Ifthe actual grain-producing acreage 
were averaged the results would be far more correct, and would give a better 
idea of the value of the wheat industry. As one man put it: “Suppose I have 
50 acres of sugar-cane ; 25 acres are burnt accidentally. On the remaining 
25 acres I get 30 tons per acre; it is manifestly incorrect to say that my land 
will only produce an average of 15 tons per acre, for the 25 acres burnt are 
actually not considered in my returns. And so with wheat. A man burns 
100 acres, and from the other 100 he reaps $ bags per acre. Jt cannot be 
said that his land will only yield 4 bags. The method of obtaining the 
average yield at present, they say, should be altered, as it leads strangers to 
believe that the land will only produce so much per acre, whether the season 
be good or bad. 
Whilst looking over Mr. MeIntosh’s garden, he said that last year he 
escaped the fruit-fly with Brigg’s Mayfair peach, which he obtained from the 
Hermitage. The fruit crop was perfect. This season, although the fruit-fly was 
much in evidence about blossoming time, yet the pest has wholly disappeared, 
and all the fruit in the garden looks healthy. It is, however, quite possible 
‘that before it is ripe the dreaded visitor or one of its congeners may again 
put in an appearance. 
Once more on the road, and we drive through thriving farms till we reach 
the scrub farms at Mount Sturt. There is little to indicate to the uninitiated 
that the smiling fields he sees around him were not long since covered with 
dense scrub. ‘That has all disappeared, not a stump remaining to tell the tale. 
Paling fences, however, at once suggest the wallaby, and the wallaby haunts 
the scrubs. Here there is more maize and potatoes than on the plain land, 
but large areas are also under wheat, and everywhere the reaper and binder is 
at work. The country is covered with countless stooks of sheaves, and 
stacking is beginning. Some farmers intend leaving the grain in the stook 
and thrashing before stacking. This would hardly seem a wise proceeding, for 
if rain should come on it might happen that the thrashing machine and its 
attendants would have to be kept on the farm for a couple of extra weeks—a 
matter then of diminished profits. 
Everywhere there appeared a spirit of content with the prospects. J'ar- 
mers, like John Bull, are said to be privileged grumblers, but no grumbling 
was heard here, except in some cases whereit was stated that machines were late 
in arriving. It must certainly strike our southern farmer visitors that wheat 
farming in Queensland is a solid industry, and that the lands repurchased by 
the Government, and sold on exceptionally easy terms to intending farmers, 
cannot be excelled by any in any other part of Australia. It is anticipated that 
when the Headington Hill land is thrown open early next year, there will 
searcely be an acre of it which will not be taken up. At Mr. King’s farm, 
on Upper Freestone Creek, we found harvesting in full swing, and the 
same on Mr. Martin Burke’s property. Continuing the round, we drove 
past the Upper Freestone State school, past the Glebe, and on down the 
north side of the creek, where we called at Mr. P. Cavavan’s home. In all 
directions here could be seen field after field waving with its golden crop, 
whilst in other parts of the farm the grain was everywhere cut and stooked, 
Prosperity was writ large on all sides. Following on the road to the inter- 
section of the Maryvale road, town was reachedabout7 p.m. We had travelled 
over nearly forty miles of country, and yet had seen but a fraction of the 
agricultural wealth of the district. , 
At Killarney the same thing is to be seen—wheat everywhere; but the 
reaping had barely commenced here. 
A quantity of wheat is being cut for half a crop, but some are hurrying 
up to get off the rusted crop to plough for maize. Mr. Wilson, of Freestone 
Creek, had turned a flock of sheep into a 120-acre field; whilst Messrs, 
Brewer, C, Lewis, and J. Shelley were burning off larger or smaller areas. 
