Information from the Hydraulic Engineer's office shows that up to the end of May last there were 716 flowing bores in Queensland, pouring forth an enormous supply of sparkling water estimated at slightly over 4791/4 million gallons a day, equal to a discharge of 175,000 million gallons per annum.[c] This flow, if conserved in tanks and pipes, would furnish a population of nearly 12 millions with 40 gallons of water per capita a day. It would irrigate 644,366 acres of cultivated land with 12 inches of water per annum.[d] An area so irrigated, utilised solely for wheat-growing, would produce, at 20 bushels per acre, nearly 13 million bushels of grain, which is equal to 28.87 per cent. of the entire Commonwealth wheat crop for the year 1907-8. The average Commonwealth yield for the last five years, however, was 611/2 million bushels. The average area under wheat for the same period was 5,864,114 acres, the average yield for the Commonwealth therefore being slightly over 101/2 bushels to the acre. As much wheat is cut for fodder, and as irrigated land should produce a largely increased crop, 20 bushels per acre for such land seems a moderate estimate. Moreover, in 1902-3, the Commonwealth crop was under 121/2 million bushels, or less than one-fifth of the mean average for the succeeding five years. At the same time the area of land under crop was in 1902-3 but little below the succeeding five-year average on an acre of land.[e] The presumably perpetual daily flow of 4791/4 million gallons of artesian water--the quantity named being equal to only 47 per cent. of the reputed flow in the case of unmeasured wells--has cost, so far as an estimate can be made, L1,873,515. This works out at the average of L2,616 per flowing bore, supplying 669,369 gallons a day. Calculating on the basis of 5 per cent., including interest and redemption payments, the annual charge for this money is equal to L131 per well, spread over a forty-one years' term, the average cost to each well-owner being thus L1 for 1,865,000 gallons of water a year. Thus, although much money has been lost in sinking unsuccessful bores, the investment has on the whole been amazingly profitable, even allowing that a further annual charge for maintenance must be added.