Mallee - Part 1

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a ton to the acre. They were cropping an area of. 10 or 12 acres. I helped to sow a crop on Frazer's Range, but no rain came and the crop died off. later they got beautiful crops there. There were fine crops about Esperance in those days. I have grown two and a half tons to the acre right here where the town ship stands to-day. The ground was well worked and manured. I saw crops on the Dalyup and in main~ benup. It is 22 miles west of Esperance and about three and a half miles from the coast. Beautiful crops used to grow there. I have grown splendid potatoes at Esperance and at stockyard Creek. There are none finer in the state. I have 14 or 15 horses. My wife has about 100 head of cattle out on the run, that is, the 20-acre pastoral lease 471/95 at Collinup. There is a lot of Yate country there, and the cattle do well. It is six miles from the C.P. land. I remember a big herd of 1,400 cattle which used to run out across the mallee as far as Mt. Ney. They were the property of Dempster brothers.

380. By Mr. PADBURY: How long were those cattle here?—from the time Dempster first took up the run. He used to sell 400 or 500 head at a time. I used to help get them in; they got very fat. We had them up to 1,100 lbs. My wife's cattle increase all right, and generally pay to keep, but they are difficult to look after. I think the mallee country will grow corn.

(the witness retired.)

EGBERT ATHELSTANE MOORE, aged 45, Farmer, Circle Valley, at present residing in Esperance, unmarried—sworn and examined

381. By the CHAIRMAN : What land do you hold in this district ?—One thousand acres of C.P., loc. 13. near Circle valley, and Esperance Town lot 1, a quarter of an acre, in Andrew- street. I have £316 worth of improvements, and I have paid £365in rent. I have 40 acres cleared, two dams, one of 565 yards and one of 300 yards. One is incomplete. There has never been less than four feet of water in the dam since it was mad five years ago. The land was originally selected in 1902 by Gollan, of Grass patch. He paid the first instalment of rent, and I purchased it from him in 1903. I have grown three crops. The first was put in by Lewis, my neighbour. I let him have it for certain improvement. I did not learn what the result of the crop was. The other two averaged 25 cwt. to the acre, both being about the same. I personally supervised the putting in of both crops. The first crop of 20 acres was Alpha. I used no super and got an excellent return on unfallowed grown. That was in 1910. I remember Middleton taking a sample of soil in the cultivated paddock for analysis in 1911. I did not here the results of the analysis. The crop was growing in the particular spot from which the sample was taken. I did not see him take more than one sample. I was at a little distance from him at the time.

382. On the table of analysis it is stated that there was. 125 per cent. of salt in that sample? —Well, well we have always grown good crops in that spot. The crop that was then growing cut 25 cwt. to the acre.

383. It has been stated that 18 ton of hay was taken off 20 acres ?—That probably went in to the stacks, but Holman carted several loads of it to his own place. I do not know what Middleton took. He went over for a sample and I saw him digging. It was on ground of medium height, fairly low ground. I have done no other cultivation since. I have had a little experience of farming at White's place' Yarramony, near Northam, in 1894. I have seen a good many crops up to the mallee. I was disgusted with a lot of the cultivation up there. There appears to be no regular time for seeding. The ground was often wet and full of suckers. They would have got far better returns with half the acre more thoroughly worked. At one time I was managing the Western Australian Bank here in Esperance. I saw good crops growing at Grass patch in 1903, four feet high. It went over the two tons to the acre. I do not think the land about Grass patch is any better than much other land in that district. I think some of the settlers have come too far south. I have seen oats growing wild on the road at Lake view, between three and four feet high. I have had no financial assistance whatever. I propose to go and work my own land myself. I am going to ringbark a lot of it, and have made arrangements with some of my neighbours to graze my sheep on their land until I get my own going. At present the sheep will require to be shepherded and yarded every night. By the time my grass has grown I hope wire-netting will be cheaper than it is to-day.

384. By Mr. PADBURY: Have you got any of your country fenced ?—Yes; 500 acres with to wires on the boundary, and seven wires on a 100-acre paddock. The balance is scrubbed ready for the fence. The water in the dams is excellent for domestic purposes. I could improve the catchment if necessary. I have no stock at present. My holding is 22 chairs from the railway survey. About half my country is salmon gum, the remainder heavy mallee and big trees. My clearing is in the salmon gum. The grass comes on very well in the cleared acre. I think I can make a living from it, even without a railway, but it would not pay commercially.

385. By Mr. McDONALD : Was the 25-cwt. crop on salmon gum or mallee ?—On salmon gum. I have seen good crops on mallee land, but not so good as mine. The railway from Coolgardie to Norseman spoilt our chaff market. A railway 60 miles north from Esperance would not altogether supply the present necessity. To serve the district property the railway should go right through to Norseman.

386. By the CHAIRMAN: How much do you sow ?—A bushel to the acre, with 67 lbs. of super on the second crop.

(The witness retired.)

HENRY GIBSON, AGED 73, Farmer, Dalyup River, married, five sons, tree daughters, all grown up—sworn and examined:

387. By the CHAIRMAN : What land do you hold at Dalyup ?—I have 254 acres of C.P. Locs. 30, 31. I came to Esperance 20 years ago. On first coming here, I was Employed in any animal labour. I took up the Dalyup land in 1902. I have a three-wire fence and 25 acres netted, into two paddocks with½ acres of orchard. I have only eight acres under crop this year. Last year I had 12 acres. The present crop looks only fair. I have grown some good crops there