The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-07-13
Crosses Ocean to Visit
Skowhegan
Son of Australian Gold Seeker Spend.
ing Vacation With Relatives In
Fathers B0yh00d Home.

| 'hO aOhe III bhS hooti uiioh 6OiS
fields at Yackandandah In 1852, ant
subsequently took up a large tract O
government land In the fertile val
ley of the Murray river. Mr.. Rich
ardson left his home on the 18th o.
May, travelled about 200 miles by raj
to Melbourne, thence by boat to Sid
ney where he took the steamer Aoran-
81 for the United States. Stops were
made en- route at Wellington and
Auckland on the New Zealand group
at Baratonga Island, and at Tahiti,
Samoa Landing in San Francisco,
Mr. Richardson came east by the
Southern Pacific route, finally reach
ing Skowhegan the Fourth Of July.
The thermometer in the Upper
Murray District ranges annually be-
tween freezing and 10S above, so that
If 1t had not been called to his at
tention, Mr.. Richardson would hard
ly have noticed the recent hot wave
at all. While riding in the railway
trains of New England, he did not
find his coat and vest at all burden
some, and on that account was the
object of much interest on the part
of his fellow passengers. Mr.. Rich
ardson is grandson of the late Silas
Richardson, and has a large group of
uncles and cousins living in East
Skowhegan. At present he is the
guest of Mr.. and Mrs. Sidney L.
Pooler.
His visit to Skowhegan is the result
of an ambition cherished for many
years. All through his boyhood he
often listened to the stories which
his father loved to tell of the people
and customs back in Maine, and af-
ter the old gentleman's death three
years ago, resolved to come here at
the first opportunity This finally
came with the advent of the present
winter in the southern hemisphere.
Mr.. Richardson has about 1900
acres of farm and grazing land in
the Murray Valley, and he talked most
Interestingly to a representative of
the IndependentRepo regarding
agricultural conditions there. Back
from the river bottoms the country
Is rolling, with soil especially adapt
ed to grazing. The climate, too, Is
favorable for the economical handling
of live stock, as they need no protec-
ton at any season, but run in the
pastures all winter. In fact the
weather during the rainy season Is
so mild that the feed for the stock
can be cut from the fields just as
wanted, so that the grass crop is new
er cut for hay. Forage to be consid-
cred worth cutting there must stand
about five or six feet high so that
barley, wheat and oats are used for
that purpose. Corn is not considered
a desirable crop as too much hoeing
is necessary, but large quantities of
potatoes are grown.
The nearest railroad is 10 miles
from Mr.. Richardson's ranch, and
the principal market is at Albury-
Wodonga, twin cities on opposite
sides of the Murray river. Here it is
that the live stock is driven for
slaughter and exported to the mar
kets of Europe. Mr.. Richardson car
ries a flock of about 600 sheep, ten
or a dozen horses and so cows. The
dairy part OF the establishment is
run much as it Is here, cream
wagon visiting the farm at frequent
and regular intervals. No ice Is
available in that climate, but cool
storehouses are built under ground.
The annual blowing begins in May
and June and then the main crops
are all planted. They come up and
grow slowly all through the rainy
winter, and with the advent of spring
in October come with a rush. Haying
begins in November and the rest of
the harvesting runs into January.
The annual rains begin again early in
March. These natural conditions are
all but ideal for agriculture, but there
Is one drawback of course. The
whole country is simply infested with
rabbits. and except for a relentless
war of determination, they would
devour every living thing. Special
machines something like a modern
mower are used to spread poisoned
bats over the land for the little pests,
and a great deal of wire netting Is
used for fences. Mr.. Richardson had
to refence his whole place last spring
with wire net that cost about $500 per
mile. Leonard Richardson married
Eliza MacNamara who came to Aus
tralia from County Clare, Ireland,
and Garibaldi was their fourth child
and the eldest of seven sons. He is
married and has family of five chill
dren, the eldest son being 81 and the
daughter 49, With such interest and
efficient management Mr.. Richardson
feels that the ranch at home is having
the best of care during his long va
cation.