The Present Picture of New South Wales Part 3

Belonging to the Crown--100 acres in wheat.

Belonging to Officers--326 1/2 acres of wheat, 178 acres of maize, 22 1/2 acres of barley, 13 acres of oats, 13/4 acres of pease and beans, 191/4 acres of potatoes, 65 acres of orchard, and 6 acres of flax and hemp.

Belonging to Settlers--6460 1/2 acres of wheat, 32111/4 acres of maize, 512 acres of barley, 79 1/2 acres of oats, 983/4 acres of pease and beans, 2813/4 acres of potatoes, 13 acres of turnips, 4811/4 acres of garden and orchard, and 28 1/2 acres of flax, hemp, and hops.

Total.--6887 acres of wheat, 33891/4 acres of maize, 534 1/2 acres of barley, 92 1/2 acres of oats, 100 1/2 acres of pease and beans, 301 acres of potatoes, 13 acres of turnips, 5461/4 acres of orchard and garden, 34 1/2 acres of flax, hemp, and hops.

The following is the general course of cultivation adopted, and justified by experience:--

_January_.--The ground intended for wheat and barley to be sown in, ought to be now broken up; carrots should also be sown, and potatoes planted in this month are most productive for the winter consumption.

_February_.--A general crop of turnips for sheep, etc.

should be sown this month, the land having been previously manured, cleared, ploughed, etc. This is also the proper month for putting Cape barley in the ground, for green food for horses, cattle, etc.

_March_.--Strawberries should be planted this month, and onions for immediate use should be sown. All forest land should be now sown with wheat; and turnips, for a general crop, in the proportion of one pound of seed to an acre of land.

_April_.--From the middle of this month, until the end of May, is the best season for sowing wheat in the districts of Richmond Hill, Phillip, Nelson, and Evan, as it is not so subject to the caterpillar, s.m.u.t, rust, and blight. Oats may also be sown now for a general crop. Asparagus haulm should also be cut and carried off the ground, and the beds dunged.

_May_.--Pease and beans for a field crop should be sown in this month; but, in gardens, at pleasure, as you may be supplied with them, as well as most other vegetable productions, sallads, etc. nearly at all times of the year.

_June_.--This is the best season for transplanting all kinds of fruit-trees, except evergreens; layers may also be now made, and cuttings planted from hardy trees. Spring barley should be sown this month upon all rich land, three bushels to an acre.

_July_.--Potatoes which were planted in January are now fit for digging. Stocks to bud and plant upon should now be transplanted; cabbage and carrots may be sown; and strawberries should be cleaned, and have their spring dressing.

_August_.--Potatoes must now be planted for general summer use; the ground prepared for clover at this season is best. Cuc.u.mbers and melons of all kinds should now be sown, and evergreens transplanted. Vines ought to be cut and trimmed early in this month. Ground may this month also be ploughed for the reception of maize, and turnip land prepared for gra.s.s.

_September_.--This is the best season for grafting fruit-trees, and the ground should be entirely prepared for planting with maize. Gra.s.s-seed or clover should be sown in the beginning of this month, if the weather is favourable, and there is a prospect of rains.

_October_.--All fruit-trees now in bearing should be examined, and where the fruit is set too thick, it must be reduced to a moderate quant.i.ty. The farmer should plant as much of his maize this month as possible, and clean ground for potatoes.

_November_.--In this month the harvest becomes general throughout the colony, and no wheat ought to be stacked upon the ground, as the moisture which arises from the earth ascends through the stack, and tends much, in this warm climate, to increase the weevils, which prove very destructive to the wheat.

Evergreens may now be propagated by layers, and cabbage, lettuce, and turnips sown.

_December_.--The stubble-ground is frequently planted with maize in this month, so that it produces a crop of wheat and another of maize in the same year; but the policy of thus forcing the ground is much questioned by many experienced agriculturists, and is supposed to have led to the ruin of some of these avaricious farmers. Cauliflower and brocoli seeds may now be sown.

The prices paid for planting, clearing ground, etc. is as follows, according to the regulations specified in the general orders:--For felling forest timber, 10s. per acre; for burning off ditto, 25s. per acre; for breaking up new ground, 24s. per acre; for breaking up stubble or corn land, 13s. 4d. per acre; for chipping in wheat, 6s. 8d. per acre; for reaping ditto, 8s. per acre; for threshing ditto, 7d. per bushel; for planting maize, 6s. 8d. per acre; for hilling ditto, 6s. 8d. per acre; and for pulling and husking ditto, 5d. per bushel.--The hours of public labour are from sunrise to eight o'clock, and (Sundays excepted) from nine to three. On Sat.u.r.days, on account of the stores being open for the issue of provisions, the hours are from sunrise to nine o'clock.

Yearly wages for servants, with board, 10L.; weekly ditto, with provisions, 6s.; daily wages, with board, 1s.; and daily wages, without board, 2s.

6d.

The following is an accurate account of Live Stock, taken at the same time as the preceding statement of land in cultivation:--

Belonging to the Crown--28 male horses, 19 female ditto; 21 bulls, 1791 cows; 1800 oxen; 395 male sheep, and 604 female ditto.

Belonging to Officers--81 male horses, 146 female ditto; 38 bulls, 1111 cows; 696 oxen; 2638 male sheep, 5298 female ditto; 40 male goats, 73 female ditto; 486 male pigs, and 537 female ditto.

Belonging to Settlers--258 male horses, 329 female ditto; 40 bulls, 1906 cows; 1172 oxen; 7449 male sheep, 15,327 female ditto; 799 male goats, 1670 female ditto; 7693 male pigs, and 7435 female ditto.

Belonging to Persons not holding Land--44 male horses, 35 female ditto; 19 bulls, 307 cows; 103 oxen; 325 male sheep, 1222 female ditto; 97 male goats, 296 female ditto; 1641 male pigs, and 1576 female ditto.

Total of Stock--411 male horses, 529 female ditto; 118 bulls, 5115 cows; 3771 oxen; 10807 male sheep, 22,451 female ditto; 936 male goats, 2039 female ditto; 9820 male pigs, and 9548 female ditto.

The common lands to the various districts, which were located in perpetuity in 1804, are now felt very serviceable, and were just granted at a period that prevented any of the settlers from being thoroughly enclosed, so that every grazier has now an opportunity of feeding his stock thereon, without confining himself to the quant.i.ty of land he chooses to cultivate on his own farm.

From the above statements it will most certainly appear, that the colony is in a very flourishing state, and, no doubt, will soon become independent of the mother country, if those methods are pursued which are best calculated to promote this end. No one step has latterly been taken to facilitate this desirable object more than the measures adopted by Colonel Johnstone and Lieutenant-Governor Foveaux, who distributed the breeding cattle amongst the industrious and deserving settlers; a step which has produced benefits of a two-fold nature--laying the foundation for the more rapid increase of stock, and affording a stimulus to meritorious exertion. In the districts about Hawkesbury, the grain yields abundantly; but at the other settlements it is less productive: The reason of this distinction must be chiefly obvious to the reader of the preceding sketch, in the liability of the soil at the former settlement to frequent inundations, which serve every purpose of manure, and uniformly keep the ground in a mellow state. It has been erroneously stated, that the average produce of the land in New South Wales is sixty bushels of wheat per acre; but I can take upon myself to say, that twenty-five bushels an acre will be found the full extent of the average produce. When a comparison is made between the present state of the country and its former condition, the improvements will appear considerable in agriculture, and almost incredible in every other respect. The season for the gathering in of the wheat has been gradually accelerated, ever since the commencement of the colony; and the harvest of the last year previous to my departure from the settlement, commenced nearly a month sooner than it did at the first: The fruit seemed also later.

Prices of Provisions, and Ration.

The following was the current price of Articles of Food, in the year 1809:--Wheat 12s. per bushel; maize 5s.

per bushel; barley 5s. per bushel; oats 4s.

6d. per bushel; potatoes 10s. per cwt.; turnips 4d. per bunch; carrots 6d. per bunch; cabbages 3d. each; lemons 6d. per dozen; peaches 2d.

per dozen; apples 2s. per dozen; pears 3s. per dozen; strawberries 1s. per quart; quinces 2s. per dozen; water melons 9d. each; musk and other melons 1s. each; apricots 1s. per dozen; mulberries 1s. per quart; Cape gooseberries 8d. per quart; native currants 8d. per quart; oranges, raspberries, grapes, plums, almonds, pomegranates, limes, shaddocks, citrons, pine-apples, nectarines, and guavas, are to be procured; but their prices are variable, some of them being more scarce than others. Cuc.u.mbers 1d. each, mushrooms 8d. per quart, French beans 4d. per quart, onions 20s. per cwt. peas 1s. per quart, beans 9d. per quart, asparagus 2s. per hundred, artichokes 6d. each, spinage 1s. per dish, pumpkins 6d. each, cauliflowers 6d. each, brocoli 6d. per dish, figs 3d. per dozen. Beet-root, lettuces, raddishes, sallad of all kinds, horse-raddish, samphire, watercresses, celery, endive, and herbs of every description, are extremely plentiful, and to be purchased at reasonable rates.

Animal food is to be procured at the following prices:--Beef 1s. 3d. per lb.; mutton 1s. 3d. per lb.; pork 1s. per lb.; lamb 1s. 3d. per lb.; kangaroo 8d. per lb. (the flesh of this animal is somewhat similar in taste to English beef, but rather inferior, owing to the want of fat); goat mutton 1s. per lb.; turkeys 10s. each; geese 8s. each; ducks 4s. each; Muscovy ducks 5s. each; fowls 2s. 6d. each; wild ducks 2s. each; teal 1s. 3d. each; rabbits 4s. each; roasting pigs 5s. each; pigeons 1s. 3d. each; kids 5s. each; eggs 1s.

6d. per dozen; b.u.t.ter 6s. per lb.; milk 1s.

per quart; cheese 2s. 6d. per lb.; oysters 1s. per quart; and lobsters 1s. each.

Fish is exceedingly numerous of every description, and is very good as well as moderate in charge. A turtle was caught recently in Broken Bay, with a hook, weighing seven hundred weight, which was retailed to the inhabitants at 4d. per lb.

The following is to be considered as a full weekly Ration, which is issued from the stores whenever there is a sufficiency without a prospect of want, to those who are in the employ of government:--Seven pounds of salt beef, or four pounds of salt pork; eight pounds of flour or meal, or an addition of a quarter of a pound of wheat to each pound, if it cannot be ground; pease or other pulse, three pounds; six ounces of sugar in lieu of b.u.t.ter. The same quant.i.ty is to be given by their employer to those who are indented to settlers, etc.; but as frequent alterations are necessarily made, according to the pressure of circ.u.mstances, the deficiency is generally made up with maize.

Trade and Manufactures.

A manufactory has been established for coa.r.s.e woollen blanketing or rugs, and coa.r.s.e linen called drugget; a linen of a very good quality has also been produced, which has been disposed of to settlers, etc. and issued from the stores to those who labour for the crown. The spinning has been done by the female convicts, and the weaving, etc. by the male. The person who superintended this department, for some time, was George Mealmaker, a well-known political character in North Britain; but he has been dead some years, and the manufactory, which adjoins the goal at Parramatta, has been almost entirely destroyed by fire; consequently, the progress which would have been made in this manufacture has been greatly r.e.t.a.r.ded. When I left the colony, however, a very deserving, respectable, and persevering settler, at Hawkesbury, was about to commence in that way on a very extensive scale; for which laudable purpose he had sown several acres with flax and hemp, and I am hopeful his exertions will tend to benefit the colony, to which the establishment of a manufactory of this description has been long an object ardently to be desired; and it is to be hoped, that the effort of this new speculator will be crowned with that success which it so eminently deserves.

The leather made from the skins of cattle, kangaroo, seal, etc. are extremely good, and are tanned by a bark which grows in the settlement, much sooner than a similar operation is performed in England. The sole leather, in my opinion, cannot be surpa.s.sed in point of goodness; and every improvement which can arise from compet.i.tion may be naturally expected, since there are several persons who follow this line of business both at Sydney and Parramatta.

Several potteries have been established; but the most celebrated manufacturer of this description, named Skinner, lately died. His dishes, plates, basons, covers, cups and saucers, teapots, and chimney ornaments, were in a very superior style of workmanship; and other useful articles equally handsome.

Tobacco-pipes, which, some years ago, at the cheapest periods cost sixpence each, are now manufactured in the settlement, of a very good quality, and are retailed for one penny each. The great propensity to smoking which prevails throughout the colony, causes an astonishing consumption of this article, and has well repaid the original speculator.

Salt is made in great abundance from salt water; and large salt-pans have been erected at Rose Bay, whence, and at Newcastle, great quant.i.ties are made and sent to Sydney. A plan, however, had been proposed to the governor, for making it by evaporation, which it was supposed would be carried into effect; it was in agitation, and was nearly brought to perfection when this statement was made.

Some very palatable beer is brewed in the settlement, at four extensive breweries; one at Sydney, one at Kissing Point, one at Parramatta, and the other at Hawkesbury; and a number of persons brew their own beer. Some improvements here may yet be looked for, since at present the grain is malted very badly in the colony, which I attribute more to the want of proper utensils than any deficiency of ability. In a short time also they will be enabled to grow a sufficiency of hops in the settlement for every purpose, without being compelled, as at present, to have recourse to the mother country for this necessary article.

Eight wind-mills have been erected for the purpose of grinding corn; and a water-mill, which had been erected at Parramatta, has, most unfortunately, been destroyed by a flood, which came on some time previous to my leaving the colony.

There are four auctioneers, or vendue masters, in the settlements; two at Sydney, one at Parramatta, and one at Hawkesbury: They usually charge five per cent. on sales.

The shops are particularly respectable, and decorated with much taste. Articles of female apparel and ornament are greedily purchased; for the European women in the settlement spare no expense in ornamenting their persons, and in dress, each seems to vie with the other in extravagance. The costliness of the exterior there, as well as in most other parts of the world, is meant as the mark of superiority; but confers very little grace, and much less virtue, on its wearer, when speaking of the dashing belles who generally frequent the Rocks, who may often be seen of an evening attired in the greatest splendour, and on the following morning are hid from public view with extremely mean attire.

Spirits are also bought up with astonishing rapidity; and, when prohibited, will ever be obtained by some means or other, and I have known it to sell as high as thirty shillings per bottle; the general price by the retailer, however, is from ten to sixteen shillings per bottle. Most of the people in the colony, male and female, give way to excessive drinking. Wines are not so eagerly sought after, and are therefore more reasonable than might be expected; but if the rage for luxuries continues to increase in the same proportion as it has done for the last few years, it must soon obtain an enhanced price, and a more rapid sale. The evils consequent upon the unrestrained use of these articles, are such as to justify the most poignant regrets that they should be held in such estimation by all descriptions of persons, since they have proved from their first introduction into the colony, and still continue to be, the fertile sources of social disorder, of domestic misery, of disorders, and of death. It is to no purpose that the higher orders set examples of sobriety and temperance; it is of no avail that the governor uses every prudent exertion to restrain the immoderate traffic in these pernicious liquors; threats, intreaties, and punishments, are equally useless; and while spirits are to be procured, the inhabitants will possess them at the price of every other comfort of life.

While on this subject, I shall just take occasion to advert to a singular circ.u.mstance respecting the specie of the settlement.

The copper coin which was sent out by government, and was originally issued at the close of the year 1800, has most surprisingly decreased, as very little indeed is now used currently. This occurrence is so strange in itself, that I am totally at a loss to account for it, on any principles whatever.

Considering its rapid diminution, I cannot conjecture by what means the circulation is still kept up; nor, on the other hand, can I suppose that the coin is caught up for the purposes of exportation, as it was issued in the colony, in the first instance, at one hundred per cent. above its real value. The scarcity of this specie, at all events, operates as an obstruction to trade; and I think that some steps ought to be taken to remove the cause of complaint, by filling up the deficiency which has so unaccountably taken place.

Population.