Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-07-19
AUSTRALIANS GOOD POINTS
Its Gardens, Birds, and Climate De.
scribed by an Enthusiastic Writer,

| 'diutHIlS as an art Is well de-
veloped in Australia. Everywhere are
treeS--cypresses. frs of many kinds.
oaks, elms. and limes-tall, waving.
| Snady; while just beyond the house one
gets a glimpse of chain of deep. cool
lakes, heavily fringed with weeping
willows. which grow 50 spIendidly all
| over the country. On these lakes
| swans. black and white. swim laZily
about .-.-.. 81
And then the birds! Through many
long summer day spent on deck
chair in this garden l never tired of
watching and listening to this happy
family party. In the early morning
one is awakened by the delightful pip
ing tones of the magpie, or "whistling
crow of Australia. Then you listen
for the no less attractive voice Of the
Laughing jackass." particularly busy
in the early morning and evening How
these birds chatter and laugh together
can only be realized when you have
heard them There are also the little
Rosetta parrots, flashes of green blue
and red as they fly from tree to tree;
now and again you hear the harsh cry
of the black cockatoo. that saturnine
tiiu ~ Hu6S SlLc anu uuSky puma RC.
untanlable and untamed, and myriads
of other little birds all with their own
individuality.
There is less animal life, fewer at
tractive surroundings in New South
Wales. Here, as rule. you find the
station house built on a river, or near
water. generally surrounded by pretty
garden. This is more a country of
huge plains. of enormous tracts of
waving corn, without many trees ex-
cent such as grow along the rivers. The
stations are of vast extent, and all in
dictate more business and less play
than in Victoria. For four or five
months of the summer the climate is
scorchinGly hot, if perfectly healthy,
but the rest If the year it is splendid
ly invigorating. The RAINFALL how
ever. is not always to be depended
upon and in bad seasons as little as
nine inches of rain has been known.
One large landowner near where we
wore staying has gone i'm extensively
for irrigation, and he has made $50
miles of canals on his property. by dint
of which he can grow lucernc, which
carries up to twenty sheep to an acre.
and improved other land to enable it To
carry two sheep to an acre. This land
owner paid 30s an acre for his prop
crty eight years ago. and now he
would not sell it under E3 los an acre.
In consequence of this exampIe. the
government has even now commenced
system OF irrigation on huge scale
Ill thlS part of New South Wales
which. in the almost immediate future.
Will render a large district now only fit
for sheep suitable for closer settlement.
which means the cultivation of fruit.
grain, and vegetables-a great induce
ment for new settlers
successful squatter said to me the
other day: "All that Australia wants is
settlers-young men from the old
country with small capital and great
energy. who would thoroughly enjov
this bush life, and who. under good
advice from friends already settled
here, should do we'll" From the point
OF view of the young man just leaving
schol or college, who. fortunately for
himself. may not have the 5000 or G70o
q year sufficient to keep him in idle
ness in England or to ego into the
city Australia offers many attrac
tlons. In Australia the boy who can
ride and shot is certain of distractions
all the while his work is going on.
whereas in England he could scarce
~ afford 10 Keep a pony, in Australia |
ne would nave three or four horses for |
ms own riding. and probably before
long thoroughbred tweed" to race at |
the local meeting. |
1t is a mistake to think Australia has
mad its day. Wool has never been in |
greater demand than it is now, and if !