FARM NOTES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11581, 12 May 1903, Page 6

FARM NOTES.

("Weekly Press and Referee.") At the show sales at Moore Pork, Syi ney, recently, tlie fat bullock sent in by Jfr ,- W.A. Gardiner, Gobolion, which obtiinM nrst prize and champion, was sold at $36 , 10s. Tliis, says the "Sydney Mail,"" esttb- ' lisihes a record for Australasia.

In the United Statee a new hw fafis bttß passed conferring unlimited power oa tbf Secretary of Agriculture in dealing iriti * the introduction und dissemination of communicable diseases of cattle.: The Secrr tary of Agriculture is authorised to ttteV lish rules and regulations concerning tin exportation and transport ation of lit*: stock from any place within tlie UnHti"? Statee where be may have reason to W r r lieve such disease exists, and all such ruler 1 and bave the force of law* The powers conferred are sweeping and •¥• solute, superseding all State quarantine gulations so farms they apply to live stock in inter-State commerce. It ia beliera thai the outbreak of foot-and-mouth dfeeue in some of the New England Stale* 4 traoeable to the importation of hay or strawfrom countries in which that malady exist* Full power to prevent the recurrence of such introduction of disease is conferred on_tl» Secretary of Agriculture by the new Uw. It provides that whenever in his jndgmefit; action » advisable to guard.against such v introduction of contagion foe ehull ■*»•»,« quarantine, and dispose of any hay, it»w, forage, or similar material or any me*!*, hidies, or other animal products coming from an infected foreign country. The work of returning "starvere" to Urtir.7 natural pastures continues, says the 'Aw-, tralasian." To nearly all the chief centre , in tho Mallee .and Eivcrina, sheep, cats*, 'i and hoiees are going back in large aumbers. In very many instances the «to*. have not done" ac well in the southern <U»' ? tricte as they do in normal seasons ons northern and Riverina pastures. Hoist|| in particular have fared badly, having cee-| traded stringhalt in a great number'-joM cases. On an average, 120 sheep are eWWtj in a truck, bo that the traffic for.ftrfJ weeks accounts for 217,000 sheep. £*■>*( '•', the- last four weeks about 300 truck* cattle and horses per week have J**,' handled, and, as these hold about ten am a-piece, this acoounta for fully 3000.vl» view of numbers like,these, the hopeOr opinion largely held by etock-o/wneti, $>A the drought has ended, at any rate for 1m immediate present, and that northern Futures will be able to carry their full qw*':., tity of stock through the winter and springy seems warranted. " Mr Valder, the New South Wales com* - mercial agent in South Africa, has sent i, damaging report to the Minister for Ago* culture concerning some shipments of sheep, which have been sent from Victoria to Cap**" town. It appeare that several shipment*/ of sheep have been received in South, Aftiaf iv a very unsatisfactory condition. "B»\ animals were of poor quality," Mr Valwr, states, "and in bad. condition generally, n<* k having had sufficient room on board, whiH the watering arrangements were also *p*. parently at fault. Large numbers of onr shipment were reported to have- died on ! the voyage, and the remainder arrived, in i j A deplorable condition. Some- 900 of to* ewes died after being landed. The nuni -. were sajd to have come from some' of 'W» best flocks in Victoria." The Orange 'B&W.y Cotbny Government is, cays Mr much disappointed at the first large JOt chose of Australian rams. It woe intended to sell the ewes on arrival, but some w«« - in such a ebocking condition that it«T|» deemed desirable not to do co. Mr Vwfw adds that, "as a contrast to this state of _* tbings, numbers of sheep are coining tote-" South Africa from the Argentine Bepawi*-; nearly every week. They are of 8 00 * , ' quality, and in Splendid condition." lie* •>', all this it would appear^.writes the » correspondent of the "AuatralaeJan/ , tW Government sheep-graders and ship in*" spectors of stock are required if Uie Am* tralian export trade an live stock * to be ; saved. V