Wheat.—In the first 7o years of her existence Western Aus tralia produced altogether only c. 15 million bu. of wheat; in the year 1927-28 she produced 35,187,195 bushels. All the southern States have increased their wheat areas in recent years but Western Australia has probably shown the greatest relative increase. In 1927-28 422,000 ac. were added and in the period 1920-21 and 1928-29 nearly 2,000,000 ac. (excluding wheat areas cut for hay: 1928-29, 250,000 ac. estimated), an increase of 156% (South Australia, 56%; Victoria, 22% in the same period). Moreover while the yield per ac. is very fair (11-12 bu. per ac. ; cf. Australian average ten years 1916-26: 12.41 bu.), the sea sonal fluctuations have been less marked than in some of the eastern States: Further, Western Australia's exports of .wheat have mounted in value from virtually nil to nearly £7,000,000 within the 22 years 1905-06-1927-28. The reasons for this lie to some extent in physical circumstances. Some 93,500 sq.m. of territory in the south-west of the State receive an average rainfall of loin. or over during the winter growing season (April–Oct. inclusive), and the belt of country climatically suited to wheat-growing is bounded by a line running from the coast north of Geraldton (c. lat. 27° 30' S.) south-eastwards via Southern Cross and Norseman to the sea coast at about Israelite bay (lat. 33° S.; long. 124° E.). On the south-west the limits are partly geological (soils) but mainly set by heavier rainfall, and coincide in the main with the eastern limits of the heavy (jarrah) forest area. Within this I0-201n. rainfall area, though there is much rocky, saline and otherwise unsuitable terrain, the surface is generally flat, often monotonously so. The rainfall, though fluctuating, is relatively reliable, so that a smaller fall is economically as valu able as the heavier but more erratic falls in some of the wheat lands of the Eastern States. Experience, seed-selection, "dry farming," and an appreciation of the value of light lands and increasing skill in dealing with them, the growing use of artificial manures—almost entirely superphosphates—the extension of mixed wheat-and-sheep farming, and water conservation have all played a part in the expansion referred to, the work of the State agricultural services, the State Agricultural Bank, etc. being also largely responsible. A hot sunny summer for ripening the harvest is shared by the eastern States, as is also the general benefit of an expanding world market, and perhaps the reliable winter rainfall, cheap land, and an enterprising railway-construc tion and settlement policy are the chief factors in attracting settlers and capital from the eastern States. Clearing is lightest in the eastern (Salmon gum, etc.), heaviest in the western (Wandoo, etc.) part of the wheat-belt, and the agricultural sea sons—ploughing, sowing, harvesting, etc.—become progressively later as the wetter south-west and southern coastal areas are approached, where, however, heavier yields are apt to be obtained (e.g., 30-42 bu. in the Gnowangerup district north of the Stirling range). Dependent on wheat-growing is the manufacture of agricultural machinery and the making of superphosphates (e.g., fertilizer factories near Perth and in construction at Geraldton. Output, 1923: 93,00o tons; 1926-27: 187,000 tons. In 1927-28 217,000 tons were carried over the State railways). Western Australian wheat is of good quality. The value of wheat exports in 2927-28 was £6,994,528, Fremantle alone shipping 5,683,000 bags.
The export trade is now being greatly strengthened by the Government policy of (voluntary) inspection and guarantee and it is significant of Western Australia's commercial position that amongst her customers she includes South Africa, India and Egypt. Oats are the cereal second in importance to wheat. The yield of grain was (1926-27) nearly three million bu. (12.4 bu. per ac.) and for 1928-29 some 559,000 ac. are sown. The grain is not of such good quality as that which comes from wetter climates (e.g., Tasmania) and a considerable area is cut for hay. Hay, as elsewhere in Australia, is an important crop since roots and similar fodders are not so plentiful as in the moister lands of north-west Europe. Wheat, barley and oats all provide hay, the drier lands of the eastern wheat-belt, where the crops will grow but will not seed, being largely used. With the increase in grain production and the growth of more intensive farming (see below) the area under hay has significantly declined (1923 : 431,600 ac.; 1928: ac.). The product is mainly con sumed locally. Dairying, Fruit-growing, etc.: The belt of coastal country which extends from about Gingin (c. 5o m. north of Perth) and runs southwards past Bunbury round to about Albany, and which is served by the South-Western railway and also, farther east, by the Great Southern Railway systems, con tains the bulk of the natural dairying, mixed-farming and fruit areas of the State. Its natural condition is largely forest-land (see above), with plentiful surface water, mild climate (30-40 in. ay. ann. rainfall) and varied but predominantly good soils, being distinguished from the jarrah belt proper which has lateritic soils more suitable to forests. Clearing is difficult and expensive and progress has been slow but there is developing here one of the great dairying districts of Australia. Dairying is only in its in fancy in Western Australia but the number of dairy cattle is rapidly increasing (1916: 31,000; 1927: 67,000) , scientific methods are becoming general—largely owing to the teaching and example of the State dairy farm at Denmark—and the yield per animal is increasing. In 1927 Western Australia produced :
butter, 42 million lb. ; cheese, 164,000 lb. ; bacon and hams, C. 2,000,000 lb. (cf. 1914: 415,000 lb. ; 1,675 lb. ; 112,400 lb. re spectively) and should, at the present rate, soon dispense with the dairy products it has so far imported from the eastern States (see Statistical Survey: Imports). The revolution, for such it is, which is taking place, is due partly to the adoption of "sub terranean" clover cultivation with superphosphates. Sheep also almost everywhere form a part of the mixed farming regime in the "south-west" and very heavy carcasses and fleeces are grown. Fruit-growing is also practised, the forests cleared from the well drained hill slopes being replaced by orchards. The fruit mainly grown so far is apples, but a beginning has been made of growing oranges and other sub-tropical fruits. Vines are also cultivated, mainly along the inner margins of the coastal belt north and south from Perth (cf. the Swan River valley), the grapes, raisins, currants and wine (1926-27: 292,000 gal.; 1927-28, c. 350,000 gal.) having found an increasing market. The sandy and swampy coastal margins which are near Perth are also found very suit able for market-gardening and large quantities of vegetables are now being grown, while in addition to the above poultry-farm ing is also a rising industry.
Important exceptions, however, are the mixed sheep-and-arable and also the dairy farming systems already noted, where the agricultural and pastoral economy interpenetrate, or rather co operate, to intensify and stabilize production. Thus the south west portion of the State contains perhaps 5o% of the total sheep population, and a fair amount of stock-fattening (meat) is carried on here also. Sheep as an independent product are favoured by the light and relatively dry climate of the south-east, centre and north-west portions of the State; in the north, with its heavier (summer) rainfall and rank-growing grasses, they yield in impor tance to cattle. The Western Australian Nullarbor Plains (q.v.) have not yet been developed; the wide area between these and the wheat belt (i.e., approximately around the Kalgoorlie goldfields) suffers from lack of good water-supply, though the after-growth of the cleared forests affords a fair pasturage. Along the west and north-west coasts, as far as about Port Hedland and also for some 150-250 m. inland the natural vegetation (mulga, salt bush, grasses, etc.) affords pasture varying locally in quality but mostly good, and here also supplies of good sub-surface water are widespread. Recent progress has also been reported in the flocks of the northern area (Fitzroy basin around Derby). The far eastern interior has probably little pastoral value, but an enormous tract comprising the west-centre of the State (North ern Coolgardie, Murchison, Mount Margaret gold-fields areas up to c. lat. 25° S.) has excellent underground waters, good fodder, and is now one of the leading sheep areas. As settlement has advanced, so fencing, well-sinking, water-conservation (including the provision of stock-routes, e.g., along the west coast; Hall's Creek–Wiluna, etc.), stock-management and breeding improve and become more widespread, though rabbits, and in some areas (e.g., the Wandoo forest) poison plants, cause losses. Western Aus tralia now carries some 8,500,000 sheep (nearly all merino) which yielded (1927) 59,350,000 lb. of wool, the average weight of fleece having advanced to c. 7.1 lb. or approximately the Com monwealth average, and the all-round progress in the industry has been marked. An indication of the distribution and relative importance of the sheep areas is afforded by the wool exports of their respective ports: (1928) Fremantle, 55,340,000 lb.; Geraldton, 2,230,00o; Carnarvon, 1,710,000; Port Hedland, 1, 430,000 ; Onslow, 270,000; Albany, 150,000; Roebourne, 96,000 lb. (See Statistical Survey: Exports.) Cattle for slaugh ter purposes are kept to some extent in the south-west and also in the rougher lands (e.g., upper river basins) throughout the west interior wherever sufficient water and fodder are available. But by far the greater number of the State's 850,0o0 head are in the north (Fitzroy basin, with centre Derby) and in the extreme north-east (Antrim plateau and Ord basin, with centre Wyndham). Here plains (1,00o-20,000 ac.) are interspersed with rougher ridge and hill country and the 3o-50 in. summer rainfall produces rank, though not wholly satisfactory, fodder. Land and black labour are cheap and here is the region of vast cattle runs (50o,000 ac. and upwards) held by such firms as Messrs. Bovril (Australia) Estates, Vestey Bros., etc. The Government freezing works at Wyndham are efficiently managed, they work for the five winter months (April–September) and deal with c. 25,000 head of cattle per season. The white workers (200-300) are brought up each season from Fremantle.