to that portion extending from the Salmon Gums hotel (64 miles) northwards for a distance of 10 miles to the 74-mile, and which distance it frequently takes the mail three hours to get over in the wet weather. 11. This soil would, however, stand longer cropping without artificial manures than the lighter and more sandy soils. There are also accessional outercrops of granite and limestone on the rising ground. The land over this area is sweeter and freer from salt than further south, there being fewer salt lakes or samphire flats. 12. The vegetation consists of mallee and ti-tree, Yate, salmon gum and one patch of shea-oak and jam country, the latter being situated about 4½ miles west-north-west from Swan Lagoon, and containing about 1,500 acres of good grassed land, the timber being fairly open. 13. The first salmon gum country is found about nine miles north of Swan Lagoon, or about 53 miles from Esperance, and extends north for about 4½ miles with an average width of about a mile. This is open forest country with quandong and several other edible stock bushes, with a salt bust at the 58-Mile, and is fairly well grassed throughout, and with the exception of a small portion of poison land at the southern end of this area close to Doust's Swamp, and between there and the Swan Lagoon, about 1½ miles long by a quarter-miles wide, is good healthy country. 14. from the 58-Mile northward a patch of large mallee country comes in for about four miles, which, again, gives place to salmon gum, which extends from there to the 64-Mile. About a mile south-west of the 64-Mile is what is known as Challenger's Soak, an open grassy flat of about 40 acres, with a bullrush and polygnum swamp with fresh water in it at present. Re water on this area:— 15. So far, no attempt has been made to obtain fresh water by sinking, the only wells sunk being those in search of salt water for condensing, and therefore, sunk on the lowest lying ground and in the vicinity of salt lakes. I am, however, of opinion that water, if not fresh, at all events suitable for stock will be obtained when the country becomes opened up and settled upon; one well at a place called Spargo being much better water than any of the others opened up for condensing. 16. There are, however, splendid catchments and good holding ground for dams and tanks , notably at the 53-Mile, Spargo's and Challenger's opposite the 63-Mile Post, and Mann's Salmon Gum (64 miles), also at the 65-Mile and 72-Mile. 17. Mr. Geo. Mann has excavated a small tank at the 64-Mile 40 feet by 25 feet and 6 feet deep, with a slope of about one foot in three feet, which is now full and holds like a bottle, and was only dry last summer for a fortnight, and with the exception of that time was sufficient to supply the camels, teams and coaches with water. This small tank is sub-divided into three compartments by two natural clay walls a foot wide at top by two feet at bottom, and so tenacious is the clay that I have seen water pumped out of the compartment without any soaking through the wall from the next. This I observed during the season before last. 18. A tank excavated at this place of sufficient size to hold two years' water would fill with one good rain. 19. I would respectfully recommend for your own consideration that any area of, say, 10,000 acres be thrown open for selection south and west of the 58-Mile Post under the Conditional Purchase regulations, and I have not the slightest hesitation in saying that if this is done half of the area would be selected within a week, and the balance within six months of being thrown open for selection. The timber on this 10,000 acres would be principally salmon gum, and as the majority is hollow or pipey its value as mining timber would not be much, and as there is no indication of minerals in this locality, no injury would be caused by opening it as an agricultural area, and extending the district to, say, the 74-Mile Post northwards. 20. Mr James Lewis, of Grass Patch, has made several applications on behalf of himself and three sons to the warden at Norseman to be allowed to select this land, either as free homestead farms or conditional purchase with residence, but has been refused on the grounds that it is within the goldfields area, and cannot be taken up except under lease. He showed me his pegs where he applied for 500 acres, and is prepared now to select under Conditional Purchase from 1,000 to 1,500 acres for himself and three sons. Failing his being able to obtain it he proposes leaving for South Africa. They are desirable settlers, and have had considerable experience in the mallee country on Yorke's Peninsula in South Australia. 21. Additional reasons in support of my contention that the land is suitable for agriculture are as follows:— At the Grass Patch (46-Mile_ and east of the 50-Mile, two acres are held under the Conditional Purchase by the Esperance Proprietary Company, containing 3,583 acres, of which 800 acres has been cropped. I, find on this farm that the poorest of the land held was cultivated first, for the reason that it was fairly open and required little clearing to cultivate, whereas had the timbered land been cleared the results would have been better. I am supported in this contention by the statement of the manager (Mr. Gollan), who later on obtained better results for the timbered land when cleared, without manure, than he did on the land which he used artificial manures. 22. On this farm hay and wheat for seed have been grown for five successive years without a failure, the average hay crop for that time being close on 20cwt. to the acre, and the sample I have forwarded is a fair sample of 500 tons grown last season, with a rainfall of 1,295 points. This is about the lowest rainfall for the last five years. The rainfall for the previous year, 1900, being 1,912 points, but, as Mr. Gollan is absent from the State, I was unable to obtain the full record for the previous three years. 23. I however obtained from Mr. Meadows, of Swan Lagoon (and which is only distant 8 miles from Grass Patch), his register for the last 5½ years , which I herewith enclose, showing an average for the past five years of 1,485 points, and an average of the seven months of the three years from 1st April to 31st October, inclusive (the months during which cereals germinate, grow, and mature), of 1,171 points, and as wheat has been grown successfully in the adjoining State with a 10in. rainfall for the year, it will be seen that taking this rainfall for only seven months out of the 12 on this area, it gives a surplus of 171 points. 24. As the salmon gum area now under consideration is only distant from Swan Lagoon nine to 12 miles and from Grass Patch six to 10 miles, I do not think the rainfall is likely to be much less if any. 25. There is sufficient agricultural land in this area and adjoining not only to grow all the wheat for flour and hay required at Norseman, but also to supply the goldfields further north. 26. Mr. James Lewis, who is also cultivating a small portion of land near Grass Patch taken up by the late Mr. Kevset, and which he is now renting, obtained a 10-bushel average last season from wheat sown in July. 27. The sample of hay forwarded by me and obtained from a stack of Mr. George Mann's of Salmon Gums at the 64-Mile is a fair sample of hay grown last season, sown late (about 20th June), and harvested early, and is six miles north of the suggested area at the 58-Mile. 28. From the 75-Mile to Dundas, or 112 miles from Esperance, the greater portion of the land , so far as soil is concerned, is good enough for the growth of cereals, but I question if the average rainfall is sufficient, and whether it falls during the seven months of the year when most required. This land is, however, healthy land, free from poison and portions of it well adapted fro grazing, if water can be obtained by sinking or tanks. 29. There is a particularly good patch of grazing land, extending from the 85-Mile to the 90-Mile, and a splendid salt and other bushes, and about the 87-Mile and the 88-Mile better grass than anywhere else on the road. There is also a good patch of pastoral land all along the east side of Lake Dundas from opposite the 92-Mile right up to the 112. The only permanent water I know of in this area is that of the Three-Mile Rock, south of Dundas, where there is a small soak of good water. I think it likely that water will be obtained by sinking east of the 105- Mile (McPherson's Rocks)a and about seven miles south of Dundas. 30. A few lectures delivered in the adjoining State, at Eudunda, Sedan, Morgan, and Murray Bridge, with a