Thamanampalli Surekha

business of the dairy. But they had had great difficulty in drafting their annual increase of ft bullocks from the herds, from which they derive the principal returns, in the shape of tallow and hides, by sending them down to the boiling-pots at Melbourne. Boiling-down was the order of the day amongst all the squatters. The times were such, that if the labour-market was not replenished by immigration, they would be forced to reduce their flocks and herds within the compass of what they could attend to by their own individual exertions, and the faithful few who remained with them. In the event of matters coming to this state, the proprietors of cattle-stations would suffer less than the sheep-farmers. Although process of boiling down sheep and cattle for the sake of their tallow, hides, skins, and horns, is now carried on to a great extent throughout these pastoral provinces, yet it is not seven years since the colonists first adopted this method of realising from their increase. When it was first proposed in 1845, it came almost in the shape of a discovery; now there are upwards of a hundred large boiling-down establishments in both these colonies, many of them erected at an expense of several thousand pounds, and the export of tallow now forms a considerable item in the products of the country. The fact is, that the export value of these commodities rules the market-price of both cattle and sheep now, instead of the former prices obtained for them, when new stations were being formed in this province and in South Australia. The days are past when forty shillings a-piece would be given for ewes, and ten pounds for breeding-cows. This temporary nominal value gradually ceased, as the increase of stock occupied all the available posture-lands of the country; and the settlers found that without feeding-ground to maintain their surplus stock, they were only worth what they would fetch out of the boiling-down pots. Hence, if they realise four or five shillings a-head for sheep, and twenty shillings a-head for cattle by this process, they consider these sums about their intrinsic value, which is now regulated by the account-sales of the above produce in the London market. Taking leave of our hospitable entertainers, we once more vaulted into the saddle, and pursued our journey back to Melbourne. After a long day's ride we came into the main road a little before we reached the Moonee-Moonee ponds, having made a detour from the Mount Alexander road of more than seventy miles. The country in this vicinity is fine open land, with scarcely any trees upon it. In all directions you see post and rail fences, and exceedingly good arable land under cultivation. In many places the crops had been got in; but the great part, although cut, was still standing in the fields; and these were left to be housed as they could by the women and children. If such was the case now in harvest-time, who were to sow the next crop and till the ground? People began to ask one another, Where will all this end? The answer was: Immigration will put all right again. That, however, is to be proved. In the meantime the industry of the country is suffering; and the people were giving high prices for grain and flour to the American and Van Diemen's Land traders. Those who were prudent enough to follow the steady occupation of farming turned more gold into their pockets than the average run of diggers; for all must eat, whatever betide. It is surprising to see the abundance of tillage-land upon the alluvial flats of the streams in this province ready extensive forms under cultivation as may be found in the elder colony, nor such high-class farming pursued, still they grow as heavy crops on the virgin soil of the country. The bush -farmers are not over particular in ploughing in mathematically straight furrows, or having trim hedges to enclose their fields. A brushwood or log-fence serves the purpose of a hedge well enough; and frequently the furrows wind round the stump of a tree without offending the eye. Utility before elegance is the Australian ploughman's motto. The fact is, that the rich and deep alluvial deposits selected for agricultural purposes from these broad lands are so strongly impregnated with natural manure, that they require little more that a mere scratching upon the surface with the plough and harrow to yield a crop of some thirty or forty bushels of wheat to the acre. Season after season the seed is roughly thrown into the soil, without adding manure. Crop after crop is reaped in this fashion, until the land is impoverished; and then the bush-farmer seeks a new patch of ground. Of course this is the rudest method of cultivation practised in the colony and we mention it to show superior quality of the soil in Australia, which has been questioned, rather than the general system of culture adopted throughout the country. Of these others we shall have occasion to speak when the recital of our travels leads us into the neighbouring colony of New South Wales. The old form-steadings there, and the system of cultivation, will vie with the best in England, not only for Average abundance of crop, but in their trim enclosures, straight furrows, and farmer-like appurtenances. Still, in these times, the bush-paddock has a preference; for the expense of thorough clearing and other improvements, is so much greater, that it leaves a small margin for profit. Farming on a large scale has not succeed in Victoria. It is the small operative farmer working on his own freehold, or standing under a small rent or improving lease, who reaps the most profitable crop, provided he can conduct the operations of the farm with the labour of his family. And now is