R.MARTIN, farmer, of Naidia, via Swan Reach, River Murray.

Location of holding: Hundred of Bakara, east of River Murray, approximately 17 miles east of Swan Reach, and approximately 90 miles east of Adelaide.

Original cost of land: The original cost of land when taken up by me was 8s. per acre, it being virgin scrub when I took it. It was allotted to me on the Agreement to Purchase terms in the year 1909. The terms originally were 30 years to pay at £56 per annum. Subsequent legislation introduced by the then Commissioner of Crown Lands. Mr .Young (of the Liberal Government), allowed a lapse of four years, thus making the term 34 years at £56 per annum. This was the dearest block which came out in the Hundred of Bakara among several other at that time. The others would vary from, approximately, 7s per acre.

The cost of my block, should it be taken up under the perpetual lease system, would be about £34 per annum. From this you will get an idea of the original cost of land in this district (Hundred of Bakara) in the year 1909. Land taken up previously to 1909 was much cheaper, and could have been in many cases taken for the asking.

Character of land: Good quality red sand, with red clay flats. In most or the flats there is a mixture of clay and sand; in other again dark sandy loam.

Area held: 3,904 acres.

Present value: The present market value of the land is 10s per acre, i.c, the improved value.

Method of clearing: the land is cleared by either cutting down, or rolling in the winter time, and a fire sent through it in February or March.

Cost of clearing: Generally speaking, the cost of clearing for the plough would be strong rolling mallee, about 20 feet high (present price) 12s, to 13s per acre.

Cultivation methods : After burning in March, the usual thing is to plough it up, thus ploughing under the ashes and utilising them for manure.

Quantity of seed used: About three-quarters of a bushels per acre is the amount of seed required.

Quantity of super used: About 30lbs of superphosphate is the usual quantity of manure used, but in wet years a heavier quantity is more effective.

Average wheat returns: Not including the 1914 drought, nine bushels.

Water conservation: Water for stock purposes can be obtained in any quantity in this district by boring. The boring (a 5in. bore) is taken to a depth which varies from 160 to 220 feet. The analysed contents of my bore being three-quarters of an ounce to the gallon of the mineral matter, this may be taken as a fair average of the district.

Chief Difficulties: The chief difficulty that farmers have to contend with is that of members of Parliament putting duty on cornsacks, and heavy duties on farming machinery, thus stiffing his efforts by making him scratch his seed in where it should be ploughed, etc. Thirdly , there is the great difficulty of getting his wheat to market. A farmer should not be more than nine miles from a railway siding. If he be further than this, he is carting his produce when he should be working his ground, and if further away than nine miles any Government should present the land to him free of rent.

                                                                                                 VICTORIA

. Report of a meeting between the Commission and the Acting Shire President representative farmers of Hopetoun, Thursday, 12th April, 1917.

Hopetoun was established about 26 years ago. During the first few years six to eight bushels crops were general, but during the past few years, with proper cultivation and farming, yields had increased to 18 bushels. Farm labourers were paid from 30s to £2 per week. Conditions on old-established mallee lands were entirely different from those on new country. Early experience showed that some men were not suited to mallee farming and a considerable amount of "weeding out" had taken place. One of the greatest drawbacks in the early days was the rabbit pest and a mistake made originally was in not insisting upon men working their land properly. Many cleared more than they were able to cope with and them left, the land going back to its natural state and being much more difficult to clear afterwards, besides affording a harbour for vermin. Unless a water supply was assured it was useless trying to carry on; the same remark applied to railway facilities within a reasonable distance. In that district they experienced periodical dry times and the natural water catchment was not good; but this had been overcome by the existing methods of water supply, which is distributed from a reservoir by means of channels. The 1915-16 season had produced excellent crops although there was not a tank rain the whole time. The current season had been a record one, yet many tanks had very little water in them. For the first year or two a 500 cubic yards dam would carry a man, but after that he would require a 2,000 yards catchment tank with the development which takes place. It was a mistake to attempt to work too much land. If a man worked 200 acres the first year and another 200 the following year and kept on at that rate he would do well .Mixed farming was necessary, wheat farming alone proving unsatisfactory. Before sheep were introduced the mallee shoots should be got rid of. There were very few salt lakes in the district and the question of drainage had never cropped up, the soil being so porous. Once the shoots were killed out seedlings were very rarely encountered. The average time taken to kill off the shoots was five or six years, although with good burns they would disappear in three years. The process was also hastened by the use of proper implements. The mouldboard plough was favoured. After burning, a half-bushels seeding was usual. This quantity produced wheat which stooled well and gave a stubble which generally ensured a satisfactory burn. In 1915-16 seeding did not average half a bushels, one farmer sowing only 20lbs to the acre on account of the high price of grain. When the land gets older it had been found better to use up to one bushels per acre, but everything depended on the season. There was a diversity of opinion as to the implements which should be used, the area to be worked and the quantities of seed and super to be used, but the opinion was unanimous that the land required to be thoroughly worked and a proper seed bed provided. Oats for marketing owing to limited demand, was a "catchy" crop, but during the first year or two it was satisfactory as a means of ensuring a good burn. In the early years with stumpy ground and light crops the stripper was recommended rather than the harvester. On farmer stated that for the first nine years his returns had averaged only three bushels per acre. He had grown as much this year on 145 acres as he had in four years on 400 acres in those days, when, of course, super was not available. The Acting President of the Shire Council in conclusion, said that to successfully open up mallee country a good class of settlers was essential, and they should be helped by the government in the early years as far as possible. The mallee in Victoria compared more than favourably with any other land in the State. He had had 25 years experience and was convinced that once the land was cleared and afterwards worked properly it would bring success to the farmer. Land properly worked produced very good crops even with a light rainfall. He strongly recommended that for the first five years the mallee settler should not be asked for any payments, because those were the years that killed. Provided water supplies were available and marketing facilities existed, those who could weather the first few years were assured of success.

Statement of A. W COOPER, J. P., farmer, of Ouyen, Victoria.

I came to Ouyen in 1892 and was then 32 miles from a market. I put in the first five years growing fair crops, but the heavy costs rendered it unprofitable. In addition to this I had to cart water. Railways and water supplies must be supplied before success can be attained in the mallee, and then roads. Another point is not to be too eager to get returns from the settlers. For the first three years, say, rents should be deferred , as was the case here. I would further suggest that half year's rent be paid and that the farmer should expend.