buy and sell store sheep as well as breed stud stock, though at the present time I have no stock fattening.

11357. By Mr. VENN: You have been very successful with your Leicester sheep?—Yes; I find the Border Leicesters do very well on my place. They compare very well with those of other breeders in the show ring. I obtain from six to 18 guineas for my rams.

11358. Is the lambing good?—Yes. I get a very good average. Last year I got 130 per cent. I may say that in my opinion this scrub land takes time and money to improve, but where there is a subsoil 18 inches to two feet down it is all right. It requires to be well ploughed, and it takes four to five years to bring it into a satisfactory state, and this can be done best by the application of plenty of stable manure. With good cultivation, manuring, and drainage, it turns out very well. Since the original ploughing of some of my poor land, by rotation of crops and keeping my sheep on it, I find I can get more from this class of country, which is generally termed second-class, than people do from the land on the river banks. You can always plough this country; for instance, I can plough in March. The soil certainly needs humus, and this is added to a great extent by the stock depasturing on it. It wants ploughing in small lands to keep the water off. I grow such crops as barley and rape, and I find the resultant improvement wonderful. I must say, however, that most of this land wants five years good farming.

11359. What do you consider the cost of clearing?—I should say from £3 to £4. This is not grubbing out, but clearing to the ground level. It is not necessary to grub the trees out unless you intend to go in for orchard or intense culture.

11360. By Mr. PAYNTER: What is then the value of the land?—No land here is changing hands, so it is hard to say what the value of it is. I consider it worth from £5 to £10 per acre, provided it is near the railway station.

11361. What artificial grasses do you find best here?—The crimson clover does remarkably well, though others do well also. I ploughed two to three times, and in November last planted millet, and I have just had a crop four feet high. This you will understand is without irrigation. Of course, the December rains improved this crop a good deal. I put my sheep on to this, and after taking them off I ploughed the land, and applied 50lbs. of super., and have put in rape and barley.

11362. Is there much of this class of land about here?—Yes, there is a great deal of this class of land which can be utilised. Where you have the subsoil to which I referred, the moisture is retained well with proper cultivation.

11363. How much lucerne have you?—I have two acres now, and intend to plant about 10 acres. I find that if you keep the lucerne for three years it will pay very well. When the couch grass takes possession, I break it up and put the land under pasture. After it has been in pasture for about three years, I break it up again and replant it with lucerne.

11364. Have the officials of the Department of Agriculture been of any assistance to you?—Yes, especially Mr. Scott, the irrigation expert. I should like to say so far as my lucerne is concerned that I have a very suitable spot for it with a satisfactory water supply. I obtain over 40 gallons of water per minute from two-inch pipe.

11365. By the CHAIRMAN: Can you give us any idea of the cost of your irrigation plant?—I was fortunate enough to obtain the material before the war, and it only cost me about £350. I adopt both the sprinkler and the furrow system. The land does not lend itself to the flooding principle. I have only just started the furrow system, and am unable to say which is preferable. The sprinklers are 55 feet apart alternated in rows to cover the whole ground area. The pipes are placed 15 inches in the ground.

11366. What is your orchard planted with?—Principally apricots, peaches, and figs.

11367. Do you find it payable?—No, I do not run it commercially. It is practically for our own use.

11368. Are there any suggestions you would like to make to the Commission in regard to the industry?—I think the Government should do all that is possible to assist in establishing the dairying industry in this district. We are comparatively close to the market, which is a considerable advantage. A man with a little capital, and about 200 to 300 acres of land such as I have got should be able to do well.

(The witness retired.)

WILLIAM FREDERICK RUDALL, Surveyor, Orchardist, and Farmer, Serpentine, sworn and examined:

11369. To the CHAIRMAN: I have been 14 years on the land in this district. I have 217 acres, all freehold; 50 acres are first class, it is 1 1/2 miles from the railway station, fenced; 60 acres cleared and under the plough. I have 18 acres of orchard, planted mostly to citrus. I have an eight-roomed house, the necessary buildings and implements to work the land, 11 horses, four head of cattle, and seven pigs. My living is derived from the orchard, dairying, and poultry. I have about 200 head of fowls.

11370.By Mr. VENN: How old are your orange trees?—About 14 years.

11371. Is there any sign of "dieback"?—They do show a little "dieback," but nothing to speak of.

11372. You consider this country is suitable for citrus trees?—Yes, some of my best trees are planted on this sandy country. The average return from 14 year old trees last year was a little over two cases to the tree. I irrigate 14 acres of the orchard when necessary, though I must say that I do not believe in irrigation as a general practice. I cultivate every fortnight.

11373. By Mr. PANYTER: What system of irrigation do you adopt?—I flood my land, but I should like to say that I do not advocate this principle for fruit trees. I consider the sprinkler system is preferable as you then are able to determine what quantity of water the trees are getting.

11374. Do you practice thinning out?—I have not done so. I find my fruit is big enough without thinning. In fact, it is too big at times.

11375. To Mr. VENN: I consider there are very good prospects in the way of export fruit. I sent