1 Noy., 1899.] ‘QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. - 459 
This was admitted to be below the cost of the average farm in South 
Australia, and I have been favoured with the estimate of a well-known farming 
authority in the lower North, where holdings are smaller, and the very best 
practice is necessary to secure good yields. It is thus :— 
& a. 
Cultivation, including ploughing, scarifying, harrowing, 
providing for fallow is Fei ea 278 3} 
Sowing 
fete ipa htt at maT ceva 2) c0410 
Reaping (say 12 bushels) i re srs Ben see 
Winnowing : an oe Seale e3 
Total per acre... at eet i eee eh ty 
Or 1s. 12d. per bushel. This may be taken as a fair estimate of the purely 
mechanical operations of the farm in those districts where temporary soil 
exhaustion was a few years ago plainly indicated. For the colony as a whole, it 
may be doubted whether the average cost per acre would reach $s. Rent, seed, 
marketing, and taxation are purposely omitted from the calculation. 
A comparison on the same lines with English and American practice would 
be interesting, but the necessary data are not available. Here are some figures, 
0Wever, which represent the average cost of large growers of wheat in England 
in 1890, omitting manure :— 
0 di, 
Cultivation and seed “ff ne ee re 181 Ome] 
Harvesting, threshing, and marketing .,. aio ol dhe al 
Rent, tithes, rates, and taxes bon re rsytapi tl Labatt) 
Cost per acre i of on deh IL 4 
A glance only is necessary to see that not only the mechanical operations 
of the English farm but the total cost of production are greatly in advance of the 
“outh Australian at per acre, though the larger yield in the old country would 
Iminish the difference at per bushel. 
__ The total cost of wheat production in Argentina in 1893 was estimated at 
£1 12s, 6d. per acre, and the average was barely 10} bushels per acre. 
CONCLUSION. 
___ lt is undeniable that the extraordinarily low cost of wheat production in 
South Australia is largely due to the original inyention‘of the stripper, and to 
the continual improvements that have been made in that machine and other 
‘rm implements. That finality has been reached is highly improbable. Our 
Manufacturers are always keen for improvement. Their working creed seems 
'obe the sentiment which the immortal ‘Tennyson expressed — 
Let the great world spin for ever 
Down the ringing groove of change. 
Anyhow, when post erity doffs its hat and bows ‘its head in homage to the dead 
Poneer agriculturist, the dead pioneer manufacturer will also be worthy of 
reverent remembrance. 
IRRIGATION BY ARTESIAN WATER. 
Diy first instance in Queensland of grazing farms being irrigated by artesian 
Water from a bore put down by the Government on land subsequently thrown 
yen to selection is near Cunnamulla, on the Warrego. From the last Annual 
port of the Department of Public Lands we learn that a considerable time 
80 it was decided to try the experiment of opening to selection in a suitable 
Scality some grazing selections to be watered by an artesian bore previously put 
®wn on the land at the expense of the Government. Inspections and surveys 
Were, directed to be made by experienced officers in certain localities, some of 
Which it appeared might be utilised for the purpose. The object was to 
