Page:Indian Journal of Economics Volume 2.djvu/284

270 FROM O.F?ICIAL SOURCES The soil is loamy extremely fertile and rainfall is about 16 marked pests. frnits thrive wonderfully. and permanent supply and well drained and is of varied character. The average inches, of which seven inches the official report puts it: mention any crop which the not produce ". All fodder (?lfalfa), which is coming "it will be difficult to Murrnmbidgee lands do crops, especially lucerne to be recognised as the most valuable fodder crop in the world, sntly. mixed pig raising, wool growing, and even ing. The climatic conditions are ideal from the agricultural and. grow luxuri- There are great opportunities for frnit growing, farming and dairy industries, for lamb and for ostrich farm- stated to be health-giving point of view, pace. sion, h?d and farms are being settled at a fairly rapid Froin July 1912,' the date of the first subdivi- to 31st December 1914, more than 800 farms been allotted . and were in actual occupation, representing a total area of 36,000 acres, the settlers having a declared capital of ?447,000, or Rs. 67- lakhs. But as yet only a fraction of the lands com- prised in the complete scheme have been taken up, for by an Act of Parliament the Government of New South Wales has acquired the right to purchase sq. lniles) at reasonable rates, 1.,840,000 acres (2,100 oi? which only 300,000 acres purchased. To attract settlers, offered various facilities, for has the Australia's as yet been so Government greates? need has fall in the winter months from May to August. The climate is both temperate and bracing and the summer heat is neither trying nor enervating. There is a absence of epide?nics, stock diseases and frnit Plant growth is vigorous and continnons and Assisted by a cheap, certain of water the irrigable . areas are capable of being intensively cultivated and producing abundantly and profitably all manner of crops. As