CO129-013 - Sir John Davis - 1845 [8-12] — Page 15

meature/

reference to the proposed J

ammencing by letting the pastures rent_ -face, priority of applications would of cour be the chief, pule for deciding the claims of competing candidates, apart from personal character and qualifications . I do not,

believe however that the Colonial Government. will be embarraseird by any

such competition. The abundance of toaste pastures

ovr

Each side

in the valleys and pavines of a ridge about tow miles in length, - with streams of which many are. perennial, would pender it easy to grant separate allotments, and the vallays writ afford the natival boundaries. Found during the last winter nearly a hundred head of Chinese cattle in the aboriginal village of "Houghing on the south side, and the level road round the island will afford a great encouragement to this species

д

14

of husbandry. The demands of the Colony in this respect are likely to be feally supplies by the Chinese ; but in the article of sheep the prospect is not so favorable. Perhaps the climate and pasture are less congenial to

them than to cattle.

Starting affords a very good prospect of success. The spontaneous growth of tres

and shrubs is such that the island would have been covered with wood, except for the

constant practice to which the Chinese are addicted of cutting

Lown

Everything before it has had time to reach any size. "There plantations of firs and other trees

are

protected they flourish rapidly. The surface of all the hills is a deep reddish soil, in which large rounded masses, or boulders of granite are imbedded. Starting be profitable, and lend to the

would at once be

coolness of the climate.

or

chi