There are considerable areas of salt bush country, generally associated with salt lakes and copi( gypsum). It is practically worthless for agriculture.

WATER SUPPLY.

Bores.—In the south-west of the mallee, an area bounded by the Wimmera River and its extension to Pine Plains on the east and the 35th parallel on the north, underground water of a useful quality is obtainable. It is struck at depths of 100 to 600 feet under beds of estuarial blue clay and in marine limestones of miocene age. It rises to levels of from 300ft. to 150ft. above ordinary low water (Hobson's Bay) and has a motherly grade. In low localities—salt bush and copi country—its hydraulic level is higher than the surface and it becomes artesian. In most parts the surface is too high and it has to be lifted by pumping, the lift being as great as 250ft. Generally the motive power employed is windmills, 12ft. in diameter with 30ft. towers. Outside the area mentioned salt water only has been found by boring.

Catchment Tanks.—Where bore water is unobtainable and channel extensions are not immediately practicable, tanks, depending upon local catchmen, are put down. They vary from 200 cubic yards covered, to 50,000 cubic yards depending upon the area and quality of catchment, 100 acres being generally reckoned as required for each 1,000 cubic yards. Where practicable, the spoil banks are continuous and water is stored above the surface either by pumping or by using elevated catch drains. With one or two exceptions, these storages can only be regarded as preliminary sources of supply. Unless an area can be eventually supplied by channel from an outside source such as the Wimmera system, the Long Lake, and Nyah pumping stations, it is not subdivided for settlement.

AGRICULTURAL METHODS.

The first operation in bringing the land into productive occupation is to get rid of the scrub. This can only be effected over a period of time which at the best is four years and should not exceed six or seven years. If the vegetation is of a light order, say scrub, not more than 10 or 15 feet in height, it is rolled down by the well-known mallee roller drawn by bullock or horse team and occasionally by traction-engines—steam or oil. The general practice favours the bullock team as the most economical. Horse teams require skilful driving and all large mallee trees must be well "nicked" or there is a considerable risk of injury to the teams. In the case of the larger mallee or of pine or buloke country, cutting down by hand is resorted to. The cost of this work, rolling, which is frequently done by contract, varies form 2s. 6d. for very light low mallee and broom scrubs to 4s. 6d. and 5s. for the heavier mallee; hand cutting starts at about 5s. per acre and will go up as high as 10s. 6d. The rolling or cutting preferably done in the winter months, in order that a fair growth of shoots may have occurred before burning off time (February to April, inclusive). Rolling may, of course, be done in the summer time and a good burn off obtained immediately, but owing to the shoots not having made headway the burn has very little effect in killing or partially killing the mallee roots. Burning off which involves the clearing of a chain strip around the whole of the rolled area, costs a few pence per acre, and if lucky in the weather and the amount of scrub on the ground, practically no picking up will be required after the burn. If unlucky, the cost of picking will amount to shillings—sometimes 4s. per acre. The horse-rake or scrub-rake is sometimes employed to rake the branches and sticks into rows. If the mallee has been somewhat large, a further cost of up to 9d. per acre is needed for snagging, i.e., cutting off the jagged or pointed pieces of broken stumps which may lame the horse teams, when working the ground. No other preparation—save in the heavy lands, which form only a small percentage—is needed for the first crop so that the cost of preparation will vary from about 4s. to 10s. Into this natural seed-bed—the loose sandy surface soil covered by a thin layer of ashes—about 45lbs. of wheat and 30lbs. of superphosphates are drilled immediately after the first autumnal rains. The disc drill up to 21 hoes, is the preferable implement. In the heavy lands, a preliminary ploughing or skim ploughing with the stump jump plough is desirable and in this case in general the superphosphate manuring may be omitted. Shoot cutting will probably not be necessary and, if a decent crop be obtained, the resultant stubble after harvesting—with a stripper preferably in the early stages—will give a burn that will effectively destroy all the shoots. In fact, one burn may be put down as equal to two cuttings in its results as to killing the mallee roots. In the second year a one-way disc cultivation or skim ploughing is advantageous. For light soils the superphosphate dressing may now be increased and for the heavy lands put on the first time. In the third and fourth years an increased amount of cultivation—an amount which can be better judged by the farmer himself than can be indicated in words—should be done. If four good burns have been secured after the first four crops, practically the whole of the stumps or roots will have been killed; if not, another two years must elapse before the land is fit for good farming. Shoots will need cutting with a slasher about May, or later, in each year. The cost varies from 9d. to 1s. 6d. per acre. During the period referred to the stump-jump plough and other implements will have been continually pulling up roots. These need picking up, and, if possible, carting off and stacking for use as fuel later on. It is more general, though more wasteful, to burn them off in the paddock. Reverting to the commencement of operations, it is advisable for the farmer to put in every acre that he can possible manage. With ordinary teams, say six horses, the settler himself with a little assistance should be able to cultivate from 500 to 600 acres. This is desirable so that the whole of the farm be brought into profitable cultivation at the earliest possible period, and also to avoid the risk of the standing green mallee being burnt. Burnt mallee cannot be cleared unless at an additional cost of 4s. to 5s. per acre until five or six years after the burn.

When the roots are killed a completely different method of farming must be resorted to. About one-third of the total area is to be ploughed from July to September for fallowing. One weed-harrowing in October—and, if the spring be good, two will be required. During the summer the surface must be stirred, preferably with discs, in the case of any heavy rain tending to form a surface crust. The crop will be put in with the autumnal rains and, in general, with the fifth stroke of the implements over the paddock. After harvesting the paddock is allowed to remain in stubble and grass for about sixteen months when it is again fallowed; thus one crop only is obtained in three years. In the meantime, the other portions of the farm are treated likewise so that the farmer has the fallowing system one-third of his total area under crop each year. The average yield during the shoot-killing or "scratching" period is from six to eight bushels and the cost of production per annum is from 10s. to 12s. In the fallowing period the average yield would be from 12 to 18 bushels and the cost of production from 15s. to 20s.

It is essential, the first one or two years perhaps excepted, to keep a flock of sheep to eat off the crop in winter, preventing it growing too rank. Under ordinary conditions, a 700 acre farm should run comfortably 150 sheep, and attention should be particularly directed to the rearing of fat lambs for the market. Settlers following out more or less as circumstances permit the above general system have been exceedingly successful financially. Instances have been quoted where men starting with practically nothing, but having a reasonable amount of credit, have had returns of from £1,000 to £3,000 from their first crop, their cash outlay not being more than a few pounds. Other cases, where farmers have arrived with capital and big teams and have gone to work thoroughly, might be quoted with equally good returns; in fact, a man accustomed to handling a team of horses and, of course, with some farming knowledge and £300 to £500, may confidently take up a mallee block with every prospect of success.

The value of unimproved mallee land covered with scrub and without railway communication can hardly be stated in figures. It is to all intents and purposes worthless. In proximity to a railway line—say within 15 miles—and with an assured water supply, its value becomes from £2 10s. to £8 per acre. These figures include the improvements which may be put down at from £1 to —£1 10s. per acre.