any way refer to the country which I consider suitable for wheat growing in the vicinity. I would like to point out I was returned to the Legislative Assembly in South Australia, and represented a farming constituency for six years. During that time I was an examiner on practical farming at the Roseworthy Agricultural College of the students going up for their scholarships, and of which Professor Lowrie was Principal. I was also selected with six others, members of the South Australian Parliament, of which Mr. G. Grassby was reporter, representing the Garden and Field newspaper, as a committee to examine and report on the mallee country on the Eastern side of the River Murray, adjoining the Victorian border and known as Pinnaroo. In my opinion the Esperance mallee land compares more than favourably with the Pinnaroo country. I am borne out in this by people who have recently visited both localities. As a result of that visit of inspection to Pinnaroo, the land was considered suitable for agriculture, but in the opinion of the members could not be profitably worked unless connected with Transcontinental line by railway, as there were 30 or 40 miles of sandy country intervening. The railway was afterwards built, the land was sold at about 8s. per acre, and has in many cases since changed hands at from £4 to £6 per acre. I claim to have a general knowledge of all land in the Esperance district, and believe there are great possibilities for dairying and horticulture, and that it is quite possible to have green feed all the year round for cows and pigs by growing rape, rye, Lucerne, mangels, and piemelons. I have cut at the rate of 20 tons of maize to the acre off land without irrigation every year for the last 10 years ; have cut at the rate of 20 tons of maize to the acre off land without irrigation every year for the last 10 years; have cut rape and rye from 2ft. 6in. to 3ft. 6 in. high in May and June. Piemelons sown on fallowed land without any further trouble will yield at the rate of 40 tons to the acre, and Lucerne with irrigation could be cut every three weeks or a month throughout the year. A good supply of fresh water is obtained anywhere along the coast at from four to 15ft. deep within 15 miles of the coast. From the report of the Commonwealth Trawler "Endeavour," submitted to the Federal Parliament, the best fishing grounds prospected in the whole of the Commonwealth waters were between Esperance and Eucla, and given a railway to connect with the Transcontinental railway, either from Esperance or Eucla, enough fish could be obtained to supply the whole of the Commonwealth. The following is the statement referred to :— Esperance, 17th March, 1902. To the Surveyor-General, Perth. Sir, In accordance with instructions received by wire from the Secretary of the Rabbit Department, dated 27th February, as follows :—

1. For the information of Surveyor General, the Minister wishes you to make special inspection and report on suitability of country between Esperance and Dundas for agricultural and pastoral settlement, the probability of water being found and to approximately locate the extent of salmon gum or other country suitable for agriculture. 2. Having returned from my visit and inspection on Saturday last, I know respectfully submit my report herewith for your consideration, also giving my reasons for believing the land suitable for the purposes indicated, the report embracing an area of about 10 miles on either side of the main Esperance and Dundas roads, traversed by me during last week and at various periods during the last seven or eight years. 3. The land for the first 25 miles from coast consists principally of sand plain with paper bark swamps, and occasionally of Yates every few miles ; the other vegetation consisting of blackboy, stunted honey and chitic, with occasional patches of bow mallee, and other small scrub and bush, and after getting back from the coast 10 miles occasional salt lakes which are fairly numerous at from 22 to 25 miles back. 4. The soil, in my opinion, being mostly of a poor sandy nature, subject to drift when cleared, and in places with a subsoil of ironstone rubble, is to any extent unsuitable for the growth of cereals: but some of the paper bark swamps and valleys between the sandhills are undoubtedly suitable for horticulture, notably at the 6-Mile Hill, at 7½ -Mile (Shark's Lake), East of the 10½ -Mile, and at the 16-Mile (Gibson's Soak). At this latter place where fresh water is plentiful by sinking at a depth of from 4 feet to 12 feet, Mr. Smith has for the last four or five years grown almost every kind of vegetables, and which, for size and quality, would compare favourably with similar produce in any part of the State. There is also an area of say 200 acres in extent at the 6-Mile Hill, where fresh water is obtainable at one foot deep, and where not only vegetables but fruit trees and vines might be grown successfully. This land had been applied for by Miss Carter and others some years back, but the applications were not granted. 5. The area mentioned is fairly free from poison, only a little mallee poison at one or two places at the Yates about 25 miles back, and doubtless would be taken up for a summer run for stock under Clause 95 of "The Land Act, 1898," by persons who would select further inland in the drier country, as not only is there permanent surface water on this area, but fresh or stock water can be obtained every few miles to the 25-mile, the furthest out well at the Yates, about 25 feet deep, having a supply of about 1,500 gallons per diem of fair stock water. 6. From the 25-Mile to the 40-Mile the land begins to improve, and there are small patches here and there of from 100 to 250 acres in extent where farming might be carried on successfully. The soil is principally poor and sandy with occasional patches of red and chocolate-coloured loam, but with a more tenacious or clayey subsoil than further south, although there are occasional rises of ironstone and limestone rubble. The vegetation consists of small stunted mallee and ti-tree, with patches of larger mallee (where the land is better and stronger) and also a few clumps of Yate timber. A good deal of this land is, however, of a salty nature (dry salt lakes and samphire flats). I do not think for some time to come to this land would, if available, be taken up for agriculture, but given a railway about one-fourth would most likely be taken up, as the wood for firewood purposes would be a consideration and the land be cleared and brought under cultivation at the same time. 7. I think it doubtful if even stock water could be obtained over this area by sinking, but there are several places where there are good catchment areas, and good clay for holding water can be obtained; one place in particular being at he 30-Mile from Esperance, on the Swan Lagoon Road, and where water lies for several months during the wet season. 8. On some of the burnt country there is fair grass and other rough bush feed for sheep or cattle, but on account of scarcity of water, I do not think much of this area would be taken up for some time to come for pastoral purposes. 9. From the 40 to the 75-Mile the land is much better, and from my knowledge of mallee land in the adjoining state of South Australia, extending from 50 miles east of Burra on the west side of the River Murray, southwards to the overland railway to Victoria, and embracing an area of about 130 miles by 50 miles wide, I am fully convinced that at least two-thirds of this area is suitable for the growth of wheat and other cereals. 10. The soils is composed principally of a red sandy loam, with occasional patches of dark or chocolate loam, and clay sub-soil, and in some places the top surface is of a more clayey nature, and would require greater strength in breaking up, and more fallowing and exposure to the atmosphere so as to sweeten and make more friable; otherwise it would be liable to cake and run together of a wet season. This is particularly applicable