1 Noy., 1899. ] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. — 455 
. . 
The threshed corn was laid down in heaps in the field, and winnowed there. 
€ result has been 843 bushels of well-cleaned corn ready for the market. 
© machine was drawn by six bullocks. The expenses incurred were— 
& sd 
‘Two men with the machine, one to steer and the 
other to drive, 9 days at 2s. 6d. each... an 2) 1 
Use of the machine at 2s. 6d. per acre 5.0 0 
Cost of stripping 843 bushels... af .. £7 5 0 
(or little more than 2d. per bushel) 
" e ° ‘ . . 
ite men were employed for 12 days winnowing and carting in the corn to the 
Slore— , 
Mey ec s 
Three men, 12 days, each at 2s. 6d. 43 x 4 1K) © 
Use of winnowing machine... 200) ab on Ht) Ww 
Cost of winnowing ... NK st .. £5 10 0 
Less than 13d. per bushel, making the entire cost of harvesting and preparing 
or market 33d. per bushel. Tam aware that much greater quantities of work 
‘ive been done by some of these machines. T was not obliged to hurry, and 
Preferred allowing ample time. We seldom put it to work before 11 a.m., as 
We found at an earlier hour the straw was tough and the threshing was not so 
Perfect as at a later period of the day. The result, however, is most satisfac- 
. “ory, and proves the extraordinary value of Mr. Ridley’s admirable invention. 
consider the machine most perfect as calculated by Mr. R. to be worked — 
'Y it pair of horses. The application of ox-power to it will perhaps require some 
'vifling modifications to render it equally perfect for them. With the aid of 
MS machine, wheat may: be grown in this colony for about 1s. 6d. per bushel, 
"S shown in the following statements :— 
8 ah 
Rent of 80 acres of enclosed land at 4s. peracre ... 16 0 0 
Ploughing 40 acres at 7s. per acre... Bit soy Web 
Seed for 40 acres, 60 bushels at Is. 6d. “as xy dh KO @) 
Sowing and harrowing at 1s. 6d. per acre ag) 8) Oth) 
£37 10 0 
The other 40 acres to lie fallow. 
Produce of 40 acres at 20 bushels per acre, 800 
bushels, into £37 10s. % 5 Pee Oem Om Ul 
Cost of harvesting ts oc es ve OME OLED 
Carting ch) ne oe OO @ 8) 
Cost per bushel 19 a is a6 cet) 
And by this mode of alternate cropping and fallowing the land will continue its 
Productiveness for an indefinite period. Trusting that this plain statement of 
ets may be interesting to some of your readers, I shall be happy to see it 
‘mitted to a place in your paper.—I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant, 
“C. H. Bagor.” 
The gallant captain and sturdy old pioneer, however, grievously offended 
the other farmers in South Australia by stating that wheat could be grown in 
the colony for 1s. 6d. per bushel, and 2s. 6d. was put down as nearer the mark 
pr the whole colony. The point is‘an important one, and I shall again refer to 
'e question of the cost of production as it now appeals to producers. 
One of the strippers made by Mr. Ridley was in use at Gawler River on 
the farm of the late Mr. John Dawkins for many years. Mr. Dawkins, the 
tte Mr. John Wilkinson, of Gawler, and the Jate Mr, John Dunn, of Mount 
arker, were all employees of Mr, Ridley, and assisted to build the first stripper. 
