A Settler's 35 Years' Experience in Victoria, Australia: And how £6 8s. became £8,000Hulme, E. (Edward)
History
A Settler's 35 Years' Experience in Victoria, Australia: And how £6 8s. became £8,000
Hulme, E. (Edward)
Hulme, E. (Edward), 1818-1904; Immigrants -- Australia -- Biography; Victoria -- Biography
We selected 115 acres more land the next year, and 95 the year after.
All spare time, the two eldest sons went out fencing, etc., for other
settlers, but, in a few years, we had plenty of work at home, and
our son from the station joined us; the other sons, as well, growing
up strong and useful. My wife and daughters also busy attending to
housework, dairying, etc., which now had increased considerably by
natural increase and further purchases. Horse stock also increased in
the same way. Thus we have gone on year after year, all working for one
common object and mutual welfare, and which we have now continued to do
for nearly 25 years on the farm up to this time, 1891. Two of my sons
have selected other allotments, and we have purchased two "drunk out"
farms from the mortgagees. We also, in 1884, purchased a very eligible
block of land. We had to pay dearly for it, though. It contained about
400 acres of good tillage land--good for this district, where land is
not first-class, like many parts of Victoria. For this, we gave £8 per
acre, and for 636 acres of grass land adjoining, £4 per acre, costing
altogether over £6000. This we had to get partly upon loan. With our
own great strength, now of six grown-up sons, and plenty of horse
strength besides, we have reaped in produce and stock from the same
land, quite two-thirds of the amount, and expect in a few more years'
crops to clear it, so that it was a good investment, but there has been
very heavy labor attached to it.
Although we have a large quantity of the finest land in the district
suitable for Hop-growing, we have scrupulously and conscientiously
refrained from growing the same; considering it would be most
inconsistent with our principles to have anything whatever, directly or
indirectly, to do with any product that contributed to the production
of that substance that has been the greatest curse to the world; also
putting some of the best land to a base use, instead of using it for
the benefit of mankind. The Hop is different altogether from the Grape,
or Barley, as they are in themselves a blessing, and of eminent use to
man, properly and rationally used.
The Consummation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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