492. What kind of wheat have done best? — Alpha, Federation, Yandilla, and Turveys. I think one of the best would be Gluyas. I do not think Baroota is a success there.

493. By Mr. McDONALD: do you consider that for a good harvest there should be a good rainfall in June? —Yes. Generally speaking a very light rainfall would effect the crop. As a rule I should call it a light district as compared with the Eastern district. In the years 1912, 13. 14, and 15 the rainfalls were exceptionally light in June.

494. Do not you think that would have an effect on the lightness of the crop ? —Not necessarily. The crop would depend on subsequent rains. I do not think any one month would affect it.

495. You think that the unsatisfactory sequence of rainfall, defective cultivation and presence of mallee shoots should result in poor crops ? —I think these factors have a lot to do with it, particularly the wrong sequence of rainfall. I think the average mallee land with good clay subsoil is likely to improve with cultivation, and that it cannot be properly farmed unless it has been worked for three years.

496. better facilities for marketing the produce would help the settlers ? —yes, but I do not think it would effected the crops.

497. Do not you think farming 50 miles from a railway is likely to affect the yield, that is to say, settlers would be carting wheat when they should be working the land ?—That, of course, comes back to the old question of not having enough money.

498. Would you say it should be possible to farm successfully on good land 50 miles from a railway.?—Certainly not.

499. The crop returns for 1915 show that the actual area harvested was 3,500 acres for a yield of 5.66 bushels. Do you consider a similar area of crop actually harvested in any of the new wheat districts would have shown better results? —Yes. I think results proved it ; but that particular year was a very good year in the other district. It was really wet in the mallee.

500. Given a simular season in each place, what do you think the results would be ? —If 12 inches of rain fell on growing crops I think better results would be obtained at, say, Kellerberrin, than in the mallee, but I think the latter would have the better chance of obtaining the 12 inches.

501. By the CHAIRMAN: Was there much fallow in the district this season ? —No, very little.  I cannot give the area, but speaking from memory a very small area was properly fallowed.  I know this, last year there was probably less than in any other year except, perhaps, the first. 

502. I think you said better facilities would not affect the results— Of course it is obvious that better facilities would affect the result inasmuch as if a man could buy two tons of fertiliser for £10 he would get better results than from one ton.

(The witness retired.)

The commission adjourned.