AUSTRALIAN WOOL CLIP

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 88, 8 January 1919, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN WOOL CLIP

Melbourne,' .Tanaury 7. The Central Wool Committee's report shows thut the Commonwealth wool production in the Benson 11)17-18 is valued at ,£tt,6M,ooo.—Press Assn. The wintry storm in the Oatnnru district recently caused very heavy mortality amen? the sheep in the .back-ciniK- ! • try Tunning into hundreds. Forimiately shearing was somewhat birkwniti otherwise the loss would have been heavier. An exchange reports that a well-kno«n Gisborne farmer is very optimistic In' regard to the prospects of the. season. The oat crope, he stated, were particularly good, and would average two tons to the acre. Tho hay crop also was first-rate, in every way. The weather was splendid for the harvesting, and la-' , bour Tvae plentiful. Tho samples had been very'clean, containing no weeds its had been experienced Inst year. The early maize crops were doing particularly ' well,' and some wero already over five feet in height. Tho.later.make, however, was not quite so promising. This was duo mainly to the unfavourable wea--ther and late frosts. The frosts had also thrown back the potato crops to a slight degree, bat they were very healthy looting, and pave every promise of heavy yields, and theTe vras no sign of the dreaded blight which had caused w> much havoc last year. Taken al , round, farming prospects were decidedly promising.