While the present average is low in the Australian wheatgrowing districts compared with other countries, the cost of production is also remarkably low. Furthermore, methods are improving generally, and a considerable increase in yield can be expected with confidence. The very richness of the soil and the kindliness of the climate has tempted growers to adopt speculative methods of growing wheat. The main idea has been to put a large area under crop on the chance of striking a good year, when a small fortune may be realised. But growers are being educated to the value of more careful methods as paying best in the long run. The average yield in Australia has been about 11 to 13 bushels per acre. The total area under wheat and the wheat yield in the different Australian States for the season 1913-14 was:-- +------------------+---------------+------------------+-----------+ | | | | Average | | State. | Area.--Acres. | Yield.--Bushels. | per Acre. | |------------------+---------------+------------------+-----------+ |New South Wales | 3,206,600 | 38,043,360 | 11.09 | |Victoria | 2,786,421 | 32,936,245 | 12.84 | |South Australia | 2,699,632 | 16,736,988 | 7.47 | |Western Australia | 1,104,753 | 13,496,242 | 12.02 | |Queensland | 132,655 | 1,769,432 | 13.34 | |Tasmania[A] | 18,054 | 421,380 | 23.33 | | |---------------|------------------+-----------+ | | 9,948,115 | 103,403,647 | 10.39 | +------------------+---------------+------------------+-----------+ [Footnote A: Estimated.] As stated, compared with some of the older countries, such averages seem small, yet in the dry districts of Australia they mean a reasonable margin of profit. In such districts it is estimated that a 10-bushel crop per acre will pay $0.60 per bushel. Of late years the price received by growers has averaged about $0.84 per bushel. [Illustration: DISC PLOUGHS ARE POPULAR IN AUSTRALIA.]