--
Total $588.00

And in addition allow for the value of the farmer's own labour:--

Twenty-two weeks putting in crop at $12.00
per week $264.00

Ten weeks harvesting at $14.40 per week .. 144.00
-------
$408.00

We still have a satisfactory result, viz.:--

Returns $3168.00

Outlay $570.00

Interest, &c. 588.00

Farmer's labour 408.00
------- 1902.00
--------
Net clear return $1266.00

From this it can be seen that very handsome returns can be obtained
where the farmer is working his land properly, and growing a good
portion, if not all, of his crop on fallowed land. Then his average
would be nearer 25 bushels than 15, and his net return nearly as much
again. In the above example, after making full allowance for all
legitimate charges, the cost of producing a 15-bushel crop from 250
acres comes out at about $7.44 per acre.

SHARE FARMING.

One of the most prominent and, in a sense, unique features of
wheatgrowing in Australia is the share-farming system. In New South
Wales, for instance, something like one-sixth of the wheat crop is put
in on shares. Under this system the landowner and the worker with
limited means co-operate to their mutual benefit. One provides the land
and the other the labour, and, under certain conditions, they share the
produce. Since it was introduced many years ago, share farming has
become popular because it has proved a boon to both parties and to the
different States, while providing an exceptionally safe means of giving
men the opportunity to ultimately acquire farms of their own.

[Illustration: WHEAT AT COUNTRY RAILWAY SIDING.]

The conditions upon which land is worked on shares differs slightly in
different districts, but usually they are somewhat on the following
lines. The landowner provides the land ready for the plough, fenced and
cleared; the seed wheat, and bluestone for pickling same; bags and twine
for his share of the crop. The share farmer usually provides machinery
and horses to work the land, pu