MALLEE COUNTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1932, Page 6

MALLEE COUNTRY

GROWING WHEAT

A GREAT CROPPER

The Mallee in Victoria, defined by Act of Parliament as land on which the Mallee scrub grows or grew formerly, comprises over 11,000,000 acres situated in the north-western corner of, the State.'

First impressions of the Mallee yvere far from favourable and Mr. J. W. BeiU by, a squatter who made on, extended' trip through the Mallee in 1840 in search of a sheep run, described it as “a disgusting country throughout.” , This opinion was general at the time, and persisted for many years. The country was covered with! dense- scrub, but the chief drawback was the scarcity of fresh water. The rain is so light, and the soil, so porous that there are no permanently running streams or creeks, and the few natural water storages are mostly dry or contain salt water.

The transformation of .this ..once despised country into the granary of the State remains a monument to the all conquering courage and determination, of the settlers, who fought to success in the face of what, for so many years, .appeared to >be . insuperable l difficulties.' ' - • ; •; f>. •

Agricultural occupation; did-not begin till 1889, but, aid'ed by the invention of: the stump jump pidugh and mallee roller progressed with great rapidity. By 1898 nearly 4,000,000 acres, comprising ithe whole of the lanq fringing the Wimmera, Richardson and Avoca Rivers, had been taken up. Extensive Government schemes supplied the necessary water and gradually made- the area safe.

Bad years form 1895 to 1902 checked further extensions for a time, but the return of good seasons after 1902 gave, a fresh impetus to Mallee developments... In 1908, the interior belt wae thrown open at three points iMurryviQe, Guyen,’ and north of Lake Tyrell. Ahead of the settler, railway lines and roads were constructed and a. series of Government tanks and bores was laid down. The rapidity with which the .land was; brought into productivity is demonstrated by the fact that .out of 103,000 acres thrown open and allotted y, in 1909,' 55,000 acres produced 600,000 bushels; of wheat in 1910. . v

In 1919, the settlement along the Murray river frontage was Begun and since'then railways have been .extended and new spur lines laid down for the convenience of the settlers—mainly returned soldiers -and migrants, j Of the 11,000,000 acres in the Mallee, 8,000,000 have now been settled, .the, bulk of the remainder not being suitable far settlement... ... ...... •

*• The first operation in bringing the land into pioductivity is to get rid of tlie scrub. This is. accomplished by' rolling it down with an.old boiler drawnby bullocks or a tractor—the larger, trees being nicked with an axe'beforehand. Later ont, preferably in early, autumn, the Tolled timberburned and, as the dry mallee burns like tinder, usually-there remains but a few charred sticks to pick: uip. Often the seed may be drilled in to the loose soil i during the first year without any further .preparation. Relentless .war,. however, must be waged for the next few years on the suckers of .the mallee by .culti-/ vating,' burning tire stubble and slashing the roots-, and it generally, takes from four to six years before the trees are .finally ,kittled. Cultivation of the ground while the stumps stil remain is -effected by the use of the stump .jump plough, an in-1 genious contrivance in .which any blades? which strike an. obstacle are -tilted up until .the obstruction is passed, when they swing back to tlieir correct: posi-tion-and re-engage the- soil. V v f -4 For the first few years on a mallee block no- sheep can be carried, -as '.there! is insufficient, sfeed to ,-support .them,! but:an effort is made to introduce .sheep' as soon as possible' and on most of the-older-mallee country the •< raising*-' of lambs is a very profitable and popular adjunct to wheat-farming operations.'" Better farming .methods have led a steady improvement in the yield pm" aci-e, and much credit is due for 'this -to the Victorian Department of- Agl’icul- - which has carried out a great deni of educational and field investigational' work.

Cereal experimental plots Were established at various centres throughout the Madlee, while for 17 years a'research farm was conducted at Carwarp. This has now been closed and a Malice Research Station of 2,000 acres established at Walpeup with-resident scientifically trained officers of the Department, whose work consists mainly of’ tests to determine the most suitable varieties of cereals for the mallee, the rate of sowing, the most profitable time to sow, and the quantity and types of fertiliser which will he productive of the best results. Later on it is hoped to breed fresh varieites of cereals which will be more ■ able to withstand the severe Mallee conditions. Another activity which has been productive of much good in the Mallee has been the Better Farming Train. This' train* includes practical exhibits showing the advantages of improved methods in all phases of farming, upon | which lectures are delivered*by experts. (Large attendances—often averaging 000 a day—are the rule at.these demonstrations and, as a result of the activities of the Department, the Mallee is most up-to-date both' as regards cultural methods and the varieties of cgreals which are produced. The value of the Mallee to the State

may be judged fromthe fact that in ohe season its products indluded 20,- : OOP COO bushels of'wheat, 2,190,0001ba |of butter, 7,0C0,0001bs of wool 125,000