THE LAND. (FROM THE "SYDNEY MAIL.")

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3342, 2 April 1868, Page 5

THE LAND. (FROM THE "SYDNEY MAIL.")

7*p<* -^interesting; account we have taken from the pages of the Australasian relative to Bodalla affords an-*pt illustration of what may be done by capital and enterprise when directed by judgment. Mr. Mort has *tt»mpted to solve a problem at Bodalla which is worthy of attentive consideration. From his success, the owners ofjand along? other flooded districts may learn what they sbould.do. It seems that he hai not sought to grapple at once with bis 4/000 acres of freehold alluvial land in this, locality, but has wisely begun firtt upon 250 acres of river flats around the house^ - On **hete he h»s expended about £10 per acre in fencing,- building, draining, &0., and the current profits from this central oasis appear to be laid out in progressive improvements— in clearing and laying dpwn-.with English grasses. The residuum of profit, according to this report, after meeting all the liabilities, except, we suppose, rent and interest of money, 4s about £6 10s per acre. We confess we do not se&how such a return is to b« otherwise obtained, and we suipeot that those who are renting their lands to others would, be glad to be assured of one half of ii. This system of English pasturing appears to enab'ehimtofeed two oows per acre the year round, and provided the produce of these cows is saleable — and most of it is turned into cheese, which has now acquired a reputation in the Sydney market— such is the return. The result will of course vary with the demand for oheese j but cheese will keep, if the produce were butter the result might be more variable, and from the Dairymen's Meetiog atKiama during the week we peroeive to what a strait buttermakers there are reduced for want of a market. But pig-feeding and bacon-curing is always part of the economy of a dairy farm. There is a good demand forb*con, which is not amongst what are known as perishable articlef, and apart from the profit deriTed from the cow* there would be a large profit, derived from this source. It will answer far better to turn maize into pork than to sell it for 2s. or 3s. a busheL THewriter-of the account, before ns alludes to Mr. Mort's judicious mode of erazmg He adapts his made to circumstances. Without allowing the bite to get coarse, he preserves it of such a length as to avail himself of the dew-fall, on the value of which he justly insists. The aim is to keep a good cover to. prevent the drying up of the soil about the roots. , By grazing low,' the grass roots are denuded of -their natural protection, and receive but little benefit from the dew. A happy medium is therefore attempted. This is a point which requires careful consideration, form his* mnthod of grazing, we are persuaded, lies much of Mr. Mort's success. The rate- at which cheese-making is going on in America and Canada is truly astonishing. It? was stated by > the secretary of the Dairymen's Association, which met 4o look after its- affairs some -months since, that in the province- of Ontario alone there were 235 chtese factories. The owners of these establishments b»ve A . availed themselves of the skill of English and Boston servants, and are now actually underselling the cheese-makers of Derby, Leicester, and Cheshire. Australian dairymen can scarcely expect to perform this achievement, but at any rate 1 there is a plenty ■ of "room; provided- they can produce a thoroughly > good <■ cheese, to - work away to supply the home demand. There is little' doubt that every kind; of' ehtese imported from England' could be pro- 1 duosd •there," wen only the skill and the capital ( of *h» people directed to this subject. The union of i capital for this purpose might be very effective, and if no- union Were -to take' place for the purpose of producing milky companies might be 'formed 'for' the | makiag of cheeseyfcnd'the-cheese factors would pro- j bably 2nd it necessary, or at fell events desirable, to I protect their interw)t»>in the same way as the vigoe- 1 rons— by an association. A cheese factory in a good | district wowld give stability to many a man who is now"pining in hopeless poverty. He 'would have a constant demand for his milk, and would be relieved offcllanxtety about the manufacture and maturing and sale of hit cheese, "We "are, >at 'any rate, much i indebted to Mr MoYt fort a feasible and seasonable j example, and we recommend the- Kama • butter- j nfak«M^toturnth r eiriatte'ntioninf l this direction. Mr. White, of Muiwell-brookj-wbo is ab<?ut to viitei'Etffclind, leaves* a good example 1 behind' him. H«sh*w»i «wthe«peeoh of his brother explains/what can^be 3 done in a" wooded country by ring-barkittg. Th«r»are,sprobabrf,not any mqre successful, graziers j in thfcolony than the Birothers^Whif c," andtbey owe their- sucews teethe correet'solutiion of an Australian difßcolty; By-tbe means 'to the earryirig j pewer^f thehr^iind'bks immensely "increased. Nowfor* word fibrioei<ning*sugar. <■ Beet, 'growing has>>noir' proved aVsuecess^and "we uriaerstkrid" that few bt "those" who sowed in the spring- hkVe- Had courage{.etoough*tf sow ! sgaln this autumn. This is a pity/ TBeyithave -missed * Splendid ' season. It' 'is ; now' too late-, and there is plenty ofsseft. MeWsrs; | liaw>jr'S#mtH)r^'and Go. are sellings at 2st 6d7per lb., i and lfe; Piddiogton has got some for: 1 gratni|;ou's' dist- ! tribtftiOn to 'those whose -croptsmffered from 1 floodi j StiO-beW-and therctherejire patohei/ancKhole^vhi I bav* 3 nar^'"ted.tbe roots are busy tiiroing-therii into •Og l «r. v i We'shall^rfon be informed 'as'iothfe 1 result; and we »hall be T glad if ttiowwho hiVe r "groyn?the I beer, and ai*^ not itlVea'ly in communication wiitfiis', wiUfgiTew *H thednformation they are possessed of oonoerniog their experiment. ' "

Tffoajsiki* ««od tfcrong *dj»e«iva .plasteiy to- make