COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1190, 30 January 1864, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

THE WEATHER.

Messrs. Burnell, n.-nncft find Sprof; report:—The attendance at the lliccarton Sale Yards was small, but nil bu vers. They submitted about 80 head store cattle, in prime condition, which were bid for with spirit, and quitted Sit: Cows, from £10 to £14; bullocks, from £11 lis; heifers, from £7; 1 Southdown ram, aged, £8 10s; 1 cross bred latnb, same strain. Several horses submitted but not sold. OTA GO. Business continues very dull, ant] transactions are still limited to the smallest retail parcels. The non-arrival of the English Mail also tends to restrict business, merchants preferring to see the shipments from England before offering freely their stocks. The opiuion prevails that (he English Mail of November will b.ing advije of a considerable falling off in shipments, not only to New Zealand, but also to Victoria and New South Wales, consequent on the unusually high rates ruling for money at home. Otayo Daily Times, January 26. AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS OF AUSTRALIA. Orte of the pests of the agriculturist that are almost inseparable from those climatic conditions which obtain more or less frequently in all warm countries, namely, excessive moisture accompanied ov followed by a high range of temperature, has begun to manifest itself in a very intense form in some of our rural districts. We refer to the great prevalence of grubs, caterpillars, and other like Ve nnin. Usually, as compared with the warm c lmatcs of the old world, this portion of Australia

suffers hut slightly from thw kind of infliction._ Our dry and almost arid atmosphere, ordinarily, is unfavourable to any very great development of this form of insect life. And neither the locust or cicada, nor its grub, nor the caterpillar, generally speaking, form the destructive infliction here which it so often does in Syria, Greece, and the south and south-west of Europe. The present season, however, appears to be an exception to the habit of our climate in this respect. And we have in consequence to regret the destructive agency of this minute but formidable enemy of the farmer in several different and widely separated parts of the country. In the western districts, in the neighborhood of Geelong, and in the more central portions of the colony, it has made ils appearance in liosts, and in all these places devastation has marked its path. At Hamilton the local journal thus refers to the destroyer and its mode of operation:—The caterpillar, which has made its appearance in the last fortnight, has attacked the crops, particularly the wheat crop, Avitli a violence altogether unparalelled iu the farming experience of the Grange. The insects in question are sometimes of a green and sometimes of a brown color, anil vary in size from half an inch to an inch and a half. They first devour any tender portions that may exist near the root; they then climb up the stalk and eat away the stem just below the ear, which consequently falls to the ground destroyed. In some places acres of wheat are standing with the ears cut off with the same precision and regularity as though a pair of shears or a sevthe had been used

The insects may be seen marching in millions from one field to another, and carrying irretrievable destruction with them. After their visit the crop is reduced to so much useless straw, which in many cases will not be worth mowing. The oat crop is also suffering from the caterpillar, but not to the same extent at present." One gentleman is spoken of, whose loss from this cause alone is estimated at £500. From Castlemaine we learn that the pest there assumed the form of the black caterpillar. It was noticed in vast numbers between News lead and Guildford; the road in one place was covered with myriads of them. They are described as being^" full of life, and travelling with considerable speed in one direction—north-east —across the road towards a field of grain. They had apparently crossed a rough, grassy field, but not liking it, pushed on for better quarters, and as they are epicurean in their tastes, some fine fields of " waving corn " bordering the Loddon will, in all probability, be considerably injured." At the Barrabool Hills, both the grub and the caterpillar are spoken of; but not as being present in the multitudinous numbers complained of in the other localities.

Pleuro-pneumonia appears to have created quite a panic at Ballarat. The consumption of beef there has fallen off amazingly in consequence, and the usual weekly sale of 600 or 700 head of cattle has dwindled down to a comparatively small quantity. Instances are mentioned where, out of eighteen beasts purchased for the immediate use of the butcher, six died iu the course of a few days. The butchers in consequence want a guarantee of sound health in the beasts they purchase, and the salesmen seem unwilling to concede this to them. A meeting to devise a remedy was called for Tuesday last; but it did not take place. Another attempt is to be made to convene a general meeting of the trade, in the expectation of some steps being adopted that will put an end to the public distrust in beef. A rigorous system of inspection appears to be the remedy most pointed at. Hut pleuro-pneumonia is not the only plague which menaces the beef of Australia. At Adelaide, a new form of most destructive disease is reported as prevalent amongst our neighbours, at Mintaro. The symptoms are a cough, frothing at the mouth, and ulcerated swelled throat, accompanied with a choking sensation. Death usually supervenes in four days from the first appearance of those symptoms. Half the cattle in the neighbourhood of Mintaro have perished from this malignant disease, which is stated to be highly contagious. The South Australian Government has ordered an enquiry into the matter on the spot. We may here mention that a somewhat similar disease was prevalent a few years ago amongst numerous herds of cattle in Germany; and that one remedy was spoken of at the time as being very successful, namely, inoculating the cattle attacked on the inside of the upper leg or thigh with the saliva of uu infected beast. Whether this is the same disease or not, or whether the same remedy would succeed here, remains of course to be seen.— Weekly Aryus, Jan. 5.

METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS AT THE OBSERVATORY, CHRISTCHURCH. (For week ending January 29, 1861.) Lat. 43° 40' S.; Long. 172° 51' E.; Height above Sea-level, 21 Feet.

Remaeks.—Jan. 23vd, morning dull, and hazy, bright, hot day. 24t,h, calm morning, heavy squall from NW. with a slight shower at 3.30 p.m., lovely moonlight 25th, same as the 21th, hot, blustery day, with a slight shower from NW, at 1 p.m., beautiful clear night. 20th, very pleasant morning, hazy blustery day. 27th, very warm, bright day. 28th, very hot and blustery, beautiful calm night. R. L. HOLMES, Provincial Meteorologist.

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