1 June, 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 473 
height. At Bingera the water is lifted to a height of 230 feet above the river 
level, which is the highest point at the Hill End portion of the estate. To 
effect this, an enormous standpipe has been erected near the pumping station. 
We regret that we cannot give an illustration of this in this issue, but we 
propose to give that and other illustrations of the works in succeeding 
numbers. Above the pumping station are four huge dams, capable of storing 
5,000,000 gallons of water, and work on these is still going on, which will 
increase the capacity by another 1,000,000 gallons. From these dams the 
water passes through the fields by means of drains, where it is controlled 
by flood-gates and sluices. The main drains are all supplied with these, 
and hence the water can be diverted at any point to the lateral 
drains on either side. The bulk of the cane was planted before the 
irrigation scheme became an accomplished fact. Consequently, the cane 
is growing on a slight bank with a water channel between the rows, and the 
canes do not get the full benefit of the water. This is, however, to be at once 
remedied, and the cane lately planted lies in the hollow, and the water passes 
directly over the stools, which thus get all the nourishment in the way of mois- 
ture that they require. We heard it remarked that manure was as necessary 
to the cane plantas water. True, so it is, and so Dr. Maxwell says, but it must 
be remembered that the water itself contains elements of plant food in solution, 
and, furthermore, the constant moisture dissolves much plant food in the soil 
which, in such a dry time as is now being experienced, must remain locked up 
and unavailable to feed the plants. This is clearly shown by a glance at the 
first and third illustrations. The cane shown in No. 1 has not been irrigated, 
and from its growth, or rather, want of growth it is plain that the roots 
have not been able to assimilate any plant food. The length of crushing 
cane only reaches from 6 inches to. a couple of feet, and the whole crop looks 
withered and stunted. Now, glance at the third picture. The cane here 
depicted was in precisely the same condition as that of No. 1 when it was first 
irrigated, and both have six and. a-half months’ growth. We noted canes 
on the irrigated fields having already 9 feet of crushing cane, and with 
such long healthy tops that, should frosts keep off till August, another 
2 feet will be added, and sugar-planters need not to be told what an additional , 
2 feet means in acrop of cane. The whole 1,000 acres irrigated present an 
ideal picture of health, verdure, and evenness of crop, and this ‘is all due to the 
water passing through the main irrigation ditch shown in our second illustration. 
That ditch has a length of 23 miles, and carries the water to cane growing at 
that distance from the pumping station. 
To come back to the question of manuring. To be perfectly successful, 
irrigation must go hand in hand with drainage and manuring ; not that manur- 
ing has ever been neglected on Bingera. All kinds of manure have been 
employed at the rate of from 1 ewt. to 8 cwt. per acre. Commercial fertilisers 
are fairly cheap, but it will be understood that, employed on such a large scale 
as is done here, the question of manure is a serious one. Mr. Gibson informed 
us that for the present crop £5,000 had been spent in manures, and it is these 
manures that are being converted into soluble food available for the plants by 
the irrigation waters. 
Large numbers of men are employed in regulating the water supply so as to 
direct it into the right channels. Here it has to be turned on, there turned off, 
and so numerous are the sluice-gates and furrows that a staff of nearly 100 
men is constantly employed in this work, each of whom, has about 9 acres under 
his charge. Every application of water is equal to a rainfall of 2 inches, but 
this'can be increased or lessened at will. The pumping plant, at the time of 
our visit, was raising 4,000,000 gallons of water every twenty-four hours, but is 
equal to rising 11,000,C00 if necessary, and, although only 1,000 acres are under 
irrigation this season, it is capable of completely watering 2,000 acres and, even 
in times of regular rainfall, an additional 1,000 acres. 
