Page:Australia, from Port Macquarie to Moreton Bay.djvu/194

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FARMING EXPENSES.
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the farmer and his family during harvest time, &c. Another person would also be required as cook and house-servant. The ordinary rations for each labourer weekly, are ten pounds of flour, ten pounds of meat, two pounds of sugar, and one quarter of a pound of tea. Soap and tobacco are not given to free labourers.

Supposing that the farmer and his family consume four of these rations, there would be nine rations in all,[1] In the following estimate I have taken the Sydney prices of the supplies required for rations, and made thereunto a small addition, equivalent to the expense of freight and carriage to a farm, situated as I have supposed.

2¼ tons of flour £29
2¼ do. beef 20
½ ton of sugar 8
120 lbs. of tea 7
Tobacco, soap, and salt 4
Four ploughmen, at £18. 72
One house-servant 14
Wear and tear of implements, &c. 16
Seeds 30
£200

We must now see what will be the yearly average produce which might be expected from the hundred acres, under consideration. We will

  1. The farmer's family would, also, of course be abundantly supplied with poultry, eggs, milk, cream, vegetables, &c. from the farm at no expense.