sometimes considerably more. I plough three inches. I commence fallowing about July. Between Ploughing and seeding I run the cultivator over it twice perhaps in the springtime. The most successful wheats with me are Lot's and Federation. I sow from 45 to 50 lbs. of seed to the acre and 56 to 70 lbs of super. I grade and pickle my seed, but I do not pickle what I sow before the rain. I never have had smut, but I have had "take-all" sometimes. My highest average yield was six bags in 1913. Clearing cost 20s to 30s an acre. It is shallow soil. The tariff affects us very heavily. Bulk handling would be a saving to the farmer, I should think, but all I know about it is what I have seen in the newspapers. I have tried growing Lucerne, but it was not much of a success. I do not think the country is suitable for fruit trees, although I keep myself in vegetables and fruit. Poultry is very profitable. Wages are 30s/ a week and keep for constant employment, and up to £ 2 10s. for casual labour, which is fairly satisfactory. The average working hours are about nine. Every man in this district should have at least 1,000 acres. To give him a good start and warrant the use of hourses and implements he should have 500 to 600 acres cleared, but most of us buy our horses piece-meal. On land all of which is fallowed, a man cannot do much more than 200 acres. Co-operation must come sooner or later. I believe some of the settlers out further have already co-operated. The price of land is too high. It should have never gone beyond 10s., considering the heavy cost of clearing. The farmers could be helped more than they are in connection with the land laws. It would be safe to let them have some land at 1s an acre. I have a neighbour who has land I would not take up. Afterwards he came along and paid 17s an acre for it.

8517. By the CHAIRMAN: A perpetual lease system would be better for that class of country with poor soil and low rainfall!-- Yes.

8518. By Mr. VENN: Do your sheep you well?--They pay better than anything.

8519. By the CHAIRMAN: I do not think so much land will be cultivated this year, but there will be more sheep run ?--You cannot run sheep without a large area under any other system than mixed farming. I think the country here is surer than where I was in south Australia. I have never had a failure since I have been here. When we get heavy rain over there we get rust badly. Some of the settlers there were 25 years farming before they became independent. I heard that one farmer (Mr. Faulkner) got 398 bags off 22 acres, an average of about 50 bushels. Each man has to adapt himself to the circumstances and to the land. It is hard to lay down any rules. No industry varies as much as farming. I have seen on the land and ploughing it. I only Plough three inches, because I do not like to see the clay come up. I have tried small quantities of land ploughed deep, but there seems to be no advantage in that.

8520. By Mr PAYNTER: What is the value of the best farmers around here ?-- They should be worth from 50s to £5, according to the results they produce.

(The witness retired.)

WILLIAM CHARLES MATSON, Farmer, Nippering, sworn and examined:

8521. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in this district?--Since 1913. I was previously at Yorke's Peninsula, South Australia. I hold 666 acres; 600 is first class. The price is 10s. It is one and a-half miles from the railway. It is all sheep-proof fences and subdivided into eight paddocks; 450 acres are cleared. I have soaks and a 700-yard dam, which has given a permanent supply to date. I am a married man with two children. I have an iron house, iron stables and shed, a set of implements, 10 working horses, three cows, a bull, a few pigs. I had £ 1,200 capital when I started, and my over-draft at the bank of New south Wales is £700. I have 240 acres on crop going 12 bushels.

8522. By Mr PAYNTER: How much of that was fallow?--Seventy acres. but when the land is new I consider it better to get a crop off it. I prefer Lot's and Avoca as being the most suitable seed. I use 451lbs. of seed to the acre and 60lbs. of super. I grade and pickle my wheat. I cannot tell exactly the cost of putting in and taking off a crop, but it is about 30s. The highest average yield I have had was 16 bushels last year. Vegetables and fruit trees do fairly well. A man should hold at leats 800 acres of land, and should have 400 cleared before he purchases his implements and horses. He should crop 250 acres annually. I think the price of land here is reasonable, but not so as you get further east. I think there is room for improvements in the charges on stores and other things. I think the railway freights quite satisfactory. I was at Moulyinning but it was too big for me to handle financially. I got out of it, and got a smaller place. After 10 years' work, I have a good farm and am satisfied.

(The witness retired.)

GEORGE SMITH, Farmer, Ballaying, sworn and examined:

8523. By the CHAIRMAN: How long have you been in this district?---since 1913. I was on my fathers Farm till I was 25 at mount Templeton, South Australia, afterwards at Broken Hill. I hold 1,353 "half" acres, 300 acres are first class, the balance is heavy timber, but there is something radically wrong with the soil. It is salmon, morel, white gum and rubbly. It is priced at 7s and 10s. it is three miles from the railway. If I had come six months ealier my land could have been taken up as third class. It is all fenced with sheep-proof netting, and subdivided into 12 paddocks; 850 acres are cleared. I have two dams, one 1,500 yards and the other 350 yards. I am not out of water yet, but some people are. In the sand creek channels my neighbours have water, yet I cannot get any there. My land seems to have been covered millions of years ago with sand on the top of the clay. I am a married children, and the school is quite near. house, no stables, large chaff shed, which holds vehicles and a set of implements, 17 working horses, 500 sheep, half a dozen head of cattle. I had £ 250 capital when I started, and borrowed £ 75 from my sister to bring my family here 14 years ago, which I have just paid her back. I borrowed £ 888 from the