Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-07-03
Australians Scarcity of Water.

The greatest difficulty of all this
country is this one of water. There are
no great rivers such as we have in
America, and such as there are either
appear in raging torrents or success
sion of water-holes. Many of the larger
streams have no outlet, but end in la
goons or disappear by evaporation.
Experiments show that there is quite
sufficient rainfall TO supply the wants
of the country, but it is so irregular
that to depend upon it would be pre-
carious IN the extreme. Artesian wells
have been discovered in certain locali-
ties, but they are not numerous enough
to test their practicability. The only
remedy that at present appears feasible
is that of making reservoirs Tor the
storage of water during the rainy season
for supply during the long droughts.
Necessity is the mother of invention"
and | have no doubt that this or some
other plan will be adopted for irrigat-
ing the land, thus making it capable Of
supporting millions of people During
the dry season it is extremely hot in the
interior, the thermometer often rising to
l20 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade.
The gIound becomes baked and cracked
and SO hot rs to burn the feet into
blisters if not well protected. The at
mosphere is extremely dry. otherwise
1t would be impossible for human be-
ings to endure 10 Thousands of cattle
and sheep perish during the dry sea-
sons. The only way of keeping them
alive is i'll driving them to some water
hole where they may drink, while for
food they NAV subsist on the dry and
parched grasses Of the plain, which.
strange to say, have retained all thor
nntritiye qualities, though withered by
the sun. 81 epherds say that sheep, as
well as cattle and horses, will fatten on
tins grass and that they will choose it
IN preference to the green grass of the
rainy st ason. Large droyes of horses
and cattle, sleek and fat, may be seen
running wild over these plains in tine
dryest seasons, especially in districts
where a plentiful supply of water may
be found in holes, as above men
toned. These horses are often so
numerous MS to become IA pest, and rs
they are of no use on account Of their
ntractability, they are often driven into
sorrals and killed Ivy thousands Tho
timber on these plains is oil one genus,
namely, the eucalyptus There are
many species, but all have the same
general appearance. Geueaallv speak
'ng the trees are spalsely scattered
over the ground. and but very seldom
do we find there thick-set forests as in
America. The eucalyptus does not look
unlike our sycamore. ] Zoos not shed
its leaves, which aye & Z -amber green
color and very risp, but ia .ually the
bark dries mp into thin shrrds and falls
off. So light and dry is il that the east
wind will car.v it away a our leaves
are driven i he autumn wind. New
bark is formed before til, old falls OFF,
and the tree fsqUtl white and new
looking at Tie ~. daiag of each year
of its life the trees grow to
enormous hciA II. a, Il. the brigh-
est trees in the W. q, Q of this genus,
and are TO he q. 4 ~ Gippsland, in
the eastern port oai australia. Some
of the talicst are over 3..@ feet in height.
They grow very straight. and as much
as 100 feet from the ground there is
neither limb nor perceptihe diminution
of diameter. The lumber from this
trea is an important article of commerce
and very durable. Cleveland Herald.