FRIDAY, 20th OCTOBER, 1916.

(At Norseman.)

Present:

Charles Edward Dempster, Esq. (Chairman). Matthew Thomas Padbury, Esq. | Ranald McDonald, Esq.

FREDERICK WILLIAM BOW, aged 47, Farmer, Esperance, married, two sons, two daughters, eldest 7 years, sworn and examined:

207. By the CHAIRMAN: Do you hold any land in the Esperance district?—Yes, 2,201 acres of grazing lease, Locs. 629, 630, 653, under Section 68 at 6s. 6d. per acre. I took it up in July, 1912. I have had previous experience of farming in England, in Queensland, in New South Wales and in Western Australia.

208. How long since you left England?—October, 1887. I have 13 freehold blocks in Esperance for which I have paid £160.

209. What led you to take up land in Esperance?—The closing of my Coolgardie produce and carrying business and the failing of farming in Coolgardie in 1911.

210. Did you inspect any other farming districts?—Yes, I went to Merredin with the object of securing a suitable farm with a water supply. I inspected the State farm at Merredin. Their crop was a bigger failure than my own in Coolgardie. I interviewed the local storekeeper and several farmers. I went no further in that district. I visited Doodlakine and interviewed some of the residents, and I visited Kellerberrin and found there also partial failures. The local farmers assured me that I need not waste time looking at the farms there. I visited Tammin and saw Gladstone; where there were better crops but not good enough. I went on to Meckering, Grass Valley and Northam. Crops I saw were a partial failure. I then dismissed all thought of looking for a farm on the Eastern railway. I had seen these crops from the train window. I stayed in Northam and interviewed a number of people from Bucklands, Irishtown and other centres. From there I went on to the Show. In Perth I learned that the crops in the Midlands were a partial failure. Returning I went to the Land Office in Kalgoorlie to see about Esperance lands. I left for Esperance and saw a nice crop being cut at Lewis's, Circle Valley. The crop was as good as anything I had seen at Grass Valley and Northam that year. From Circle Valley I went to Grass Patch and the crop there was superior to anything grown in Coolgardie in the two wet seasons. I interviewed Mr. Thompson and told him I wanted a block of land with water. He suggested land within 10 miles of Esperance. We went to Binji Binji Lagoon. It was fresh water. I saw a nice crop at Mr. Gilmore's, estimated 15cwt. This was in November, 1911. On the following day we applied at Esperance for the land I have to-day. In December, 1912, I visited the district again. In January, 1913, I took down 26 horses with wagons and building materials and made a start. We have been there ever since. The first year we sowed a little broadcast just for the horses. Mr. Drew, the then Colonial Secretary, visited the land in July, 1913. He strongly advised me not to sow any more that year, it being too late. In the following year we had a record crop for the district. It was Alpha wheat 3ft. 6in. high over 24 acres. It yielded 18 cwt. The rust took it in the following month, August. We harvested in September after the rust attacked it. It was an extraordinary dry year. My late crops that year were not so good, yielding only 10 cwt. At Esperance the rule is early crops for a dry year and late crops for a wet year. This refers to the sand-plain. This year I should not have sown a grain until August and September. I have been there four years and we have had two dry and two wet seasons. In 1915 my returns were about 10 cwt. I cannot say exactly what acreage I had in. It was a wet season. It is a mixed farming country where I am. This year I have sown 70 acres of mixed rye, oats and wheat and will be cutting about 30 acres for hay, and the balance being for feed. I have allowed six acres to slide. In addition I am going in for an acre and a half of mangolds, an acre and a half of swedes, an acre and a half of rape and one acre of maize. I am merely experimenting with these. I put them in in September, which I think was too late. I drilled them in with an ordinary drill 2ft. 3in. apart, using super.

211. What improvements have you effected?—I have sunk two wells 11ft. and 14ft. and got an unlimited supply of fresh water in a dry year. I have several fresh water lagoons on each of the blocks. I have cleared 300 acres, which have been ploughed and cultivated. We are troubled with sorrel which came in some oaten chaff from Albany. Native grasses are coming up all over the farm. I have sown 65 acres with grass seed this year, namely Johnson's, perennial rye, and King Island Melilot. Italian rye grass is spreading all over my land. This is the first year I have sown grasses. I sowed them in August and September, using in all £17 worth of seed. I have sown it with standing crops as they do in England. I have also cleared 100 acres, which is now in fallow; it has not yet been cultivated. The whole of the 1,000-acre block is skeleton fenced and partly subdivided, with one and two wires and a barb at the top, with a quarter of a mile of rabbit-proof netting. I employ two men. I have three-quarters of an acre of mixed orchard with every variety of tree. The vines and the