1 Ocr., 1901.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 437 
Answers to Correspondents. 
COST OF A SUGAR-MILL. 
Capirattst, Brisbane— 
Question.—Having made inquiries as to the total outlay required to 
erect a sugar-mill capable of making 6,000 tons of sugar in a season, 
and of laying down tramlines for the haulage of purchased cane, I 
have received so many different estimates that I should be glad if 
you would give me the actual cost of one of the central mills. 
Answer.—We cannot do better than give you the actual outlay on the 
Mossman Central Mill as per the director’s general report for 1900. 
By this it appears that the— 
Mill and crushing machinery cost ... £41,835 18 4 
7% miles of portable line ... ore’ ... 2,844 15 2 
500 cane trucks... ree — op Cypibk © © 
2 locomotives cin 5) Sexi .. 1,940 6 0 
Buildings... on 49 on .. 98,286 6 3 
£54,168 6 3 
To; this must be added the cost of purchased cane. ‘The price 
given by the Mossman Company is 13s. 6d. for untrashed cane 
and 14s. for trashed cane per ton. 
Salaries and wages would have to be provided for about fifty 
Europeans for the handling of some 60,000 tons of cane and, say, 
6,000 tons of sugar. Firewood, sugar-bags, haulage to wharf, 
repairs to machinery, and a host of minor expenses have to be 
provided for. With a good season, 6,000 tons of sugar, worth, 
with the bonus, about £60,000, would go far towards recouping a 
portion of the initiatory expenditure, which would not be less than 
between £60,000 or £70,000. 
Small mills with obsolete machinery do not pay. 
The Mossman directors have expended, besides the above 
amounts, over £22,000 on permanent tramways and £900 on a 
sawmill plant and buildings. They reckon depreciation for 1900 at 
£6,026 15s. 6d. 
QUANTITY OF WHEAT PER ACRE. 
J. Ackers, Central District— 
Questia —I have determined to go in for wheatgrowing next year, but 
know very little about it. How much seed must I sow per acre ? 
Answer.—Protessor Lowrie, principal of Rosworthy College, South 
Australia, answers the question as follows:—The quantity of 
wheat it is advisable to sow per acre varies so much with 
climate and conditions that I do not think any precise state- 
ment is possible. The quantity depends on (a) the character 
of the wheat, whether large or small berried; (6) the habit 
of growth or tillering habit; (c) the character of the soil; 
(d) the freedom from weeds of the farm; and (e) climate. I cannot 
agree with those who practise extremely thin seeding. My own 
practice on this farm is to sow from $ of a bushel up to 65 lb. per 
acre. If intended for hay, I sow1+ bushels peracre. The thinnest 
seeding could be practised on new land with somewhat light rainfall. 
If oats, I generally sow from 2 to 24 bushels per acre, and of barley 
1% to 14 bushels per acre. 
