ADELAIDE.

Otago Witness, Issue 81, 4 December 1852, Page 4

ADELAIDE.

The Country and the Chops.— At no period in the history of the colony had we ever such a prospect of a large and abundant harvest. The land under cultivation in 1850 was 64,72S acres, or at the rate of upwards of an acre for every man, woman, and child in the province. Since then no returns have been published by the Government, but the quantity of land under cultivation may be safely assumed on the two years at 33J per cent, increase. This would give between 80,000 and 90,000 acres at present under cultivation, and of this the proportion of wheat and barley and oats would be fully twothirds There is, consequently, no fear of our not having a large surplus stock for the purposes of export, and to supply the want of all new-comers. The only drawback to this cheering prospect is, the dread some entertain of the want of hands to gather the harvest in. We have no fears of this kind ourselves, however. When the time arrives, as was the case with the sheep-farmers, the hands will be found, and those who stick steadily to their farming pursuits will probably find themselves better off than the majority of those who have encountered the hardships and risks of the Victoria gold fields. At present flour is selling in Adelaide at £23 per ton, and wheat at 7s. per bushel, but the great rush of emigrants from all parts of the world to Melbourne, and their consequent demand upon us for supplies will probably put prices up. The present rates, however, are highly remunerative, both to the corn-grower and the speculator. — Adelaide Tiznes, October 5.

The Adelaide Gold-fields. — We have a workable gold field in South Australia, and that too within 23 miles of Adelaide. Its extent has not yet been ascertained, but between 300 and 400 licenses have been taken out, and fully that number of persons are at work. The largest quantity raised by any one party at the Echunga diggings, however, does not exceed b\ lbs. in weight. Many smaller parcels have been exhibited. At a moderate calculation, however, the amount raised cannot be less than 75 lbs. in weight. — Ibid.