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1 May, 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 357 
Tt will be seen that Victoria takes the lead in production, her contribution 
being 36°4 per cent. of the total yield ; South Australia comes second, whilst 
Queensland produced 364,249 bushels more during the above period than 
Western Australia. D 
In the face of these facts we cannot see how it can be said that Western 
Australia’s average yield of 11:7 bushels is equal to twice the average of 
Victoria—or of either Victoria with 9:9 bushels and Queensland with 14:9 
bushels per acre. i 
WHEAT HARVEST OF 1897-98. 
Tuu following comparison of the wheat harvests of South Australia and 
Queensland for the past eight years will be of interest to farmers of both 
colonies, but more especially to those southern farmers who have already cast 
in their lot with us, or who are preparing to do so:— 
SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 
Season. Acres. Total Yield. Average per Acre. 
Bushels. Bushels, lb 
1890-91... 1,673,578 9,399,389 5 37 
1891-92 .. 1,544,600 7,373,770. 4 46 
1892-938  ... 1,710,855 11,435,272 6 41 
1893-94 ... 1,725,428 14,022,125 8 8 
1894-95  ... 1,552,900 7,557,446 4 52 
1895-96 ... 1,521,910 6,658,600 A 22 
1896-97... 971,980 2,690,100 2 46 
1897-98... 988,250 3,705,937 3 4.5 
QUEENSLAND. 
1890-91... 19,306 392,309 20 19 
1891-92... 33,382 462,583 14 58 
1892-93 son 31,750 413,094: 14 Bp 
1898-94... 34,387 545,185 is). ) 
1894-95 ©... 29,650 123,680 9 33 
1895-96 .... 38,942 601,254 17 20 
1896-97 53,994: 812,602 15 0 
The estimate for last year’s crop is only an approximation of the actual 
result, as official returns are not yet available. 
Of the above first six crops, 1890-1896 inclusive, 184,929 acres were reaped. 
for grain, whilst 15,411 acres were mown for hay or cut for green feed; 
1895 was an exceptionally dry season. 
PUMPKINS. 
‘Tire cultivation of pumpkins in this colony is really a mere figure of speech. 
Pumpkins are not cultivated. They grow luxuriantly of their own sweet will. 
Where a scrub has been cleared off, or 100 fat acres of rich black soil have 
been made ready for a maize crop, the farmer drops a few pumpkin seeds at 
intervals when sowing his corn, and the hardy plant in due time runs over the 
ground, effectually keeping down weeds and sheltering the ground from the 
burning rays of the sun and preventing evaporation, thus benefiting the corn, 
whilst producing an immense amount of valuable food for stock. When the 
corn crop is gathered the pumpkins may be seen lying in tons on the ground, — 
and only require picking up and taking to the barn. But picking up 
