70 "
Of the latter total, 56 inches occurred in February, two days (6th and
18th), accounting for 22.95 inches--more than half the average rainfall of
the State of Queensland.
An illustration--homely but graphic--of climatic differences may be
given. During the first five months of 1904 the rainfall of Dunk Island
amounted to 75.15 inches, the lowest monthly record being May (5.30
inches) and the highest March (29.05 inches). At the end of May on the
Burdekin Delta--150 miles to the south--the sugarcane was beginning to be
affected by the hot, dry weather, and irrigation was about to be resorted
to. Here in January it became necessary to repair the roof of the
boat-shed, and to keep the ridge covering of paper-bark in position,
two long saplings were tied parallel with the ridge pole. At the end
of May these saplings were taken down in order that the whole of the
thatch might be renovated, when it was found that both had started to
grow, several of the shoots being 8 and 10 inches long. While sugarcane
was languishing for lack of moisture, 150 miles away down the coast,
a roughly-cut sapling exposed on the roof of a building found the
conditions for the beginning of a new existence so favourable and
stimulative that it had budded as freely as Aaron's rod.
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