AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1751, 13 June 1885, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

(BY OUK ENGLISH AGBIOUIjTUKA.Ii 00BBK8P0NDKNT.)

London, April 23,

Up to Wednesday in last week the cold, dry weather referred to in my lefctar of April lOtb continued, and tb.9 wheat ou the clays began to look dingy and shrivelled ; but on Wednesday night there was an abundant fall of rain, since which tha weather has been warniGi*. It was not until Moaday last, however, that tho wind Bhifted out of the east, though the sun shone with such power that tho air and soil were warmed sufficiently to set vegetation going with a good start. Since Sunday, indeed, the weather has bean ?s hot as it often is in June, and a wonderful change has come over the face of the country. Pastures as weir as corn crops have begun to grow rapidly, treay have burst suddenly into loaf and, in the "clfslP of fruit trees, into blossom, and ail is fresh and green as it should b9 towards the end of the second month of spring. Taking held and garden crops all round, 1 never saw tho country looking better than it is at the present time. Spring corn, pulse, potatoes, and to a great extent mangels have been sown exceptionally well, and there is scarcely a iuittpiaut to be saen where the crops are above ground. Everything is still backward, but not to remain ao lorig if the present weather continues, The chief danger now is that vegetation will ba forcod too rapidly, only to bo cut off by those terrible May frosts which we seldom escape. Apart from the poaßglity of such a calamity, and of ooursa ftparHJlso rroie prices, agricultural prospects aro aa bright aa they well could be.

THE GRAIN TBADE, The probability of peace wi.h Russia being preserved for the time being caused the entire subsidence of excitement in the grain tn-.de last week and on Monday, and prioes have gone down pretty well to their old level, where sales are forced, though sellers still hold, as a rule, about half of the recent advance of 4s to 53 a quarter. Yesterday, however, the result of the Vote of Credit or £11,000,000 once more led to the expectation of war, and there was some excitement in the trade on Mirk Lane. More money waa askod by Kellers, and 6d to Is whm was obtained in aomo cases ; but ac a rule buyers refused to ywld to the demand. The present brilliant weather, both here and on the Continent ot Europe, is of course against sellers, and there are the heavy stocks of last year's wheat in America, ludia, and Russia, the abundant harvest. just ga'. heied in India, the over-average surplus m Australia, and tha supposed excellent crop in New Zealand, ali tailing in the same direction, againoc a rise of prices. On the other band, there are only our low stocks here and tbo diminished acreage and poor condition of the American whoafc crop to count in favour of an advance. Dornbusch'B Li»t has given an estimate of tbo stocks in the eight piinoipal water&ids centres of the kingdom. Converting the sacks and barrela of flour into their equivalent in quarters of wheat, < and referring to previous records of stocks at the same ports, I havu compiled tho following comparative statement :—

These figures show that, in spits of increased I imports of wheat and fjjur during the past I quarter, as compared with those of the fhsfcl quarter of 1884, we have greatly diminished ■ our stocks. Yet, so far as the market returns 1 are any guide, farmers 1 deliveries have been ■ rather larger than they were last year ; thajxj fore, it appears, our consumption of breadTa^H been unusually great— greater than mere in- ■ crease of population would have led us to I expsct. Probably the diminished earningo of fl the people have led to a greater consumption m of bread and a smaller ouo of meat ; and thsfl comparative cheapaosa of meat, in spite o^H diminished imports of live aud dead meat takenf together, supports this assumption. But thioH table also shows that our stocks of breadstuff MJ are much lower than they were in 1884 or 1883.8 As to the American wheat crop, it will be uoB news to New Zealand readers to give the reporfcß of the Washington Department, to the efiecJß that the area sown with winter wheat ioH 3,000,000 acres leas than it was last year, anuH that winter-killing has bean 00 sorioua that tb^| condition of the crop is denoted by the tigurecH 77, as compared with 100 for a full crop. TheY yield is expected by the department lo baa 100,000,000 buahela less than it was last year, M and other estimates maka the expected du-S ficiency much larger. Some say, indeed, thatfl 50 per cent, of the winter wheat crop in thefl United States has bean spoilt. It, is notfl unlikely that the "shortage" in the spring! wheat aoraaga will be sufficient to balance tmfl| extra reserve stocks held in America at the endH of the cereal year, so that there wiii.b^at laan^B 100,000,000 bushels less than there waaVsat^wkaJH for export. We Bhali nead very good cropailHl Europe to make up for such a deficiency, eve» * with tho extra surplus of Australasia ; and aa A to the Indian crop, food aa it apparently is, ifc is to be borne in mind that it will not be freely exported at current prices, as last year's experience shows that the Indian surplus^ is largely consumed at Home when pricaa are very low. On the whole, if peace should ba preserved, prospects point to a moderate adv&'nco in prices later on in the season, though not to a great advance ; but with war there ia no telling how high prices may advance. One advantage of another year of low prices would be a greatly decreased acreage of wheat in Borne of the chief producing countries, though, I fear, at the coßt of the ruin of thousands of ' farmers in America and Canada who depend almost exclusively upon wheat growing foe their income. In spite of the attempts of theorists to show that wheat can be grown with profit in America and Canada at current prices evidence quite overwhelming in volume proves that this ia an entirely mistaken idea. lam convincod that we have seen the worst of ■ American competition, and the wheat prices havn M touched tho lowest point that they will go dowtJl to, at any rate, for suveral years to come. "4j^| for the Canadian Is'orth-west, there is no danger^! from that source, the disadvantage of climatasl tbore being so enormous. Threß timea sincall 1879-iu 1880, 1883, and 1884, wheat has beentl frozen in the ear, damaging a large proportionpi of the grain. Added to this there igll the disadvantage of prolonged winter, ofteiuß rendering it impossible to sow the intended' S acreage of .wheat in time to secure a full cron VETEBINABY EEFOBT. ;■ The annual votQEiaarjr report of our Agrio.ui.4B

tural Department waa published last week. It .chows that tho total number of froah oufcbnaks of foot and-mouth cUstuian reported in Groat Britain during the ye,»r 1884 vraa 949, viz , 937 iv Eagland, 5 iv W.iles, *ua 7 in Sjotlaud, tno Qum'ner of auitnals atu.iked buiug 2b 1 221, viz , 27.703 in Belaud, 205 iv W*len, aud 313 m Scotland O: tho amumlj attacked 12,18(5 wore cattle, 14,174 were sheep, and 1860 swine. Daring the year 415 animals are reported to have died of the disease. The report statos that " Tue late outbreak of loot.-and-imnv.il disease, which commenced in the Metropolis in October 1880, and eventually extondod over the greater part of Great Britain »ad Ireland, may be said tv have continued until December 1884. Daring that period 27,933 outbreaks were reported in Great Britain, aud 742,682 aniinalts wero attacked with the disease. From England the disease was introduced into Ireland in February 1883; it spread very rapidly from the county of Dublin, where it was first detected, and eventually disappeared from tbatcouatry during the third quarter of 18S4. During the interveuiug p 3541 outbreaks were reported, and 11.5,641 animals became affiotod in Iceland, making a grand total for the United Kingdom ot 31,474 outbreaks, and 858,323 amm^ls attacked." With respect to pLuio-pneumonia, reports of its existence wero recou od trom 33 countioa in Great Britain, of which 25 ware in England and eight in Scotland. The total number of i'reah outbreaks repotted was 312, a decrease of 37 as oomparod with tho previous year, whan 349 ■wore reported. The number of oattle attacked was 1096, of which 1074 were slaughtered, 20 died, and three remaiuad diseased at the end of the year. Sheep-scab h.w been more widely distributed in Groat Britain during 1884 than any of the other diseases included under the Contagious DUea-.es (Animals) Acb of 1878 Haturni have been received trom 73 counties, •BfaowiDg that 1509 freah outbreaks oocuned, and 28,447 sheep ware attacked. Tho returns ■of swine-lever receivad during 1884 again whew a decrease in the total number of outbreaks and all the outbreaks, and also of swine attacked in Great Britain, as compared with the.. returns of the prec3ding year. Tho total number of freah outbreaks r«iported in England in 1884 was 17G8, a decrease of 451 ; and tho number of swine attacked' was 8573, or a decrease of 1955 from the numbers reported in the previous year. During 1884 returns of glanders were received from 34 counties in Great Britain, viz., 25 in England, 1 inJWales, and Bin Scotland. The total number of freah outbreaks reported was 425, a decroase of 18 from the number in 1883 ; the total number of animals attacked wao 643, a decrease of 62 from the number in tho Droviou3,year. Professor Brown, head of the Veterinary D3i)ar(,meot, admits that slaughter would ba the best method of stamping out a fresh outbreak if we bhould import infection from some foreign country. Upon thia subject the MarkL^ne Express makos the following very sensible suggestions ; — " Wh +t we have to propose, then, ia simply this - that now the country ti free t'roni foot-and-mouth disease the Act of 1878 and its ridiouloua Amendment Bhould be torn up, and in its plaoe a new measure of a simple character passed without delay placing cattle plague, pleuro-pneumonia, and foot-and-mouth disuaso on exactly the same basis as cattle plague is now ; putting all power into the hands of tho central, veterinary authorities and throwing all coats on the Imperial Exchequer. Tliis would make a clean sweep once tor all ot all local authorities, and all the present code or restrictions and regulations. Directly one of these diseases appeared it would be summarily dealt with, and the country wouid be kept as iree from foot-and-mouth disease an it baa been kept trom cattle plague. Ali other contagious diseases of ausmals should be put in the hands of the Veterinary Department, and every vestige of diao.seaonary povyer taken from local authorities. Now is the time to do it, for it would not hmt anybody's interests, and so long as foreign animals are imported at all we shall never get ' reasonable uecurity ' woilhy tho name unlesrf by tho means we haye sug gested " From the same paper I take tho* following valuable tables, prepared from tho present and previous official jonorts : —

DETAILS OF FOREIGN LIVE STOCK IMPORTS. l£Bt.

SWBKT KNaiLAGE. I have received an advancs proof of Mr George Fry's f«rthooniing boaU od "Sweet Ensilage," referrsd to in inyl&st lottev. First, Mr Fty feya dovrn M) 9 nilo th«. '' Uio oh-'i^foy

which, under ordinaiy circumstance*, take place in animal and vegetable substances aro due to the action of living organisms." The gjrma of ferments, he goes on to show, ara constantly present in the atmosphere They require frf-e oxygen to give them the first impuho of life ; but tho living orgauiama cau exist and multiply without free oxygen In the case of alcoholic fermonts, af ter they become active tho amount of work which they perform, as ferments, ia in inverse ratio to tho amount of oxyg n supplied to them. Tha reason for this is clear, &iaea the alcohol is producpd by the atelcactioii of combiaod oxygen from the sugar moleculo, and tho lens free oxygon is supplied tho more sugar will be changed and tha more alcohol will be produced by the tiny organism in procuring oxygen for the coutinua fcioa of its existence. " Now, if it ba true," Mr Fry goea on to say, "that the gernio of fermonts and the sporus of minute fungi are constantly present iv the atmosphere, k, multitude of these mußt always bti carried into the hilo among the stems cf tho fodder plants, and sufficient ireo oxygen to give thorn the first impulse of life inu&c always accompany them. It> muat, therefore, «£ necessity happeu that a great variety of living ferments, bacteria, and fungi must always be present among the contents of the silo." An impression has existed to the effect that as soon as the free oxygen in the silo bas bion absorbed and transformed into carbonic acid all fermentation ceases, and the recommendation to chaff fodder and compress it as completely and rapidly a3 possible waa based on thia falße assumption ; but, according to the principle above stated, after fermentation has ouce bean set up the air may bo completely oxcluied and yet feementation or putref aotion will go on an unin • torruptodly to its completion, as Liebig long ago announced. Pasteur confirms thia when ho says :—": — " After the germ has roceivod the (irat impulse from oxygjn gaa the successive generations are bom indefinitely, absolutely troo from the influence of atmospheric air." In short, l**ateur says :—": — " One might express this theory in this concfoa form — fermentation is the couqpqueuce of life without air." This is the keystone to Mr Fry's system of sweet ensilage, and ho quotas numerous authorUina iv support of it — Paßtaur especially, ast.be greatest of all authorities on ferments. Mr Fry proceeds to compare theripeningot fruit with haymaking 1 As fruit ripens araylacious substances bocoina soluble and converted into sugar. Similarly in haymaking starchy substances are changed into sugar. In both cases waiuith aad air are the principal conditions favouring tho process. A stack of well-mada hay has usually attained tha temperature of 122 degrees F. Now MiFry's sp&tom of Dweot onsiltgo ia essentially one of haymaking ia the silo When the temperature of the fodder in the silo has been from 86 to 113 degreen it will be found that the starch granules have entirely disappeared, having been converted into sugar or some similar carbo hydrate. B-.W. if th& cUs of the ensiled plants continue to live after all the oxygen iv the silo has been chaugod into carbonic acid, they will convert the saccharin i matter into aloohoJ, thus causing a serious loss of feeding value, even if tha transformatioa goes no further. The problem is how to arreat life at the sacohaiiae stage. The answer is that organvrna cannot exist at a temperas ure exceeding 122 degrees F for any considerable tiuia ; therefore, if the temperature of tho foddor in a silo hci raised above 122 degrees the rosult will ba tha production of swwot ensilage, whereas, if { he temperature doeßuot roach this point, the rerfi sit will be sour silage, aafetmen tation does not hfcop at the alcoholic stage, but goes on fciJl aldehyde and acetic aci r l are produced. Mr Fry, in the course of his experiments, has obtained an abundant crop ot the tiny bacterium, Mycodarma aceti, which produces acetic fermentation. This bacterium would be destroyed by a temperature exceeding 122 degrees But how is tha temperature to be insured ? The great hindrances) aro excess of moisture , and msufficiuncy of oxypen in the fodder. Consequently siloa mutt not bo iillbd with fodder either wot with rain or too full of natural moisture. A crop ehould be l&'t to dry Biitnoientiy in the Held, so that when a pisce ot it ia twisted in tho hands moiuture will not run out of ifc. Tf wat weather prevails at thfi tim* when a crop ia mature (and the bout time to cut fodder crops for ensiling is just after it ia in fall liowei) the crop may be lett for a tima uncut, and then its decreased abundance of sap may allow of it« beiDg carried quickly to the silo in fickle weather. As a rule the ailo must be filled graiually. tho temperature of ooe Jaypr beinsr allowed to attain to ifao veqw site height before another layor is introduced. But for the riUl directions as to the fillift? of silos readers must be directed to Mr Fry's book, as they aro (.oo long to ropaiit in thi-< letter. Mr Fry also goea itifc'* s nuaib-T of questions connected with tho chemistry and physiology at aneil»e;e ; and everyoua u'bo is interested in the subject should obtain a copy, the price of which was etatsd in niy last Ipuer, with the nam i and address of tvs publishere.

ANOTHER LAND PROPOSAL

A great deal of intercut has been exoited by a nieetiug • to be held at Willie' Room's, London, to-morrow for tho purpose of taking utep* to form a. company whioh will purchase laud, and ofJer it in small holdings to labourers and other persons. The plan, which is promoted mamly by largo landowners, seoniK fto bi an opposition cne to that roprftuonted by Mr Jeaae Oolliugs' Small HoldiDga Bill. Howevev this may bs, it is gratifying to soe landowners at last recognising tho fact; that facilities for the acquisition of land by small cultivators!, acid by paople who desire it for cottages aud gardens, must soon ba provided. But for their know prejudice against any taudency towards breaking up large estates and farms, it would be surprising that something was not long ago done to dispose of the large quantities of laud thrown on landlords' hands to small cultivators, who will give more for it than any ono also. The position of landowners in the country, and their power of resisting agrarian agitation, would be greatly strengthened by the inclusion among them of a great number of small proprietors ; thereforo, for their own interest, they could not take any wiser course than that proposed for the projected company. It is intended that land shall be offered to co-oparative farming associations as well as to single cultivators. As to the plan of purchase, it ia suggested that the buyer might be allowed to pay a certain annual sum, according to actuarial tables, including interest and repayment of capital, over & term of years. In some cases it might be considered desirable fco build a cottage and include its coat with the siklo prico of tho holding. Again, sojna of tho land might bs disposed ot by making au annual rent perpetual. Tbia last method might bo put iv practice by lotting holdings acquired by the compauy under tha three ]j"s, tha tenant to ba allowed to dinpo.se of his t^naucy to tho highest bidder, Thin, in my opinion, would be the bosk plan of all, as under it subdivision and Hublectiug (with tho inevitable iack renting) might ba prevented, and less capital would be required by the oulti- \ ators to bo sunk in their holdings, thus lejwing jaoru for iha purpo«eu of cultivation. .Btt(., however well the scheme may be earned out., it in!l ".it mast tha naed fcr giving tv municipal aw' o'bwi: liJo.^l .utfuorHtoo power 1 • ."cq'iire

land coinpulsonly ia tho pqighbourho'jcl ot towns and viDa^eß for building pai'iiows, anrl for public objeists generally. Mr Je-<Sd C'»iliaga' schemoj if modifidi, would do i*l» Mat lh>propobad coitipany would tifcigrap^ «od iv (jfreat dbal mots beai'S a.

AN ABSUHD ll)j:\.

xV very funny ini.mauo m jni X vs iwpiarad in tha Anprlo-Now Z -aland^r. lo tho e[i'3,.t that an appeal has Lr'.on oi.vlo to tl>u Gi)\<jrdir of ViotoiiA by a London compv.iy cioiidiiuod u> th^'foteigni produce triifld, that labbilo may bu killed, frtzen, and R-;nb to thia country {uokort ia fho carcasses ot ttozja shot p Tiio poiv-.uu" Bonding this curious appeal urj^e that 'übirabbittf could thus com i freo of cbargo ; but I fancy that even if the ehippjr-* of mutton are foolish enough fco risk tho sp iling of their «ioafc by packi^if? such high'y aooutod things ,<ib rabbit? inside tho caroi?3ee, tho shipov/uors will no!; quite «o<3 th« iorco of carry ing loua ot esl.ra nibat for noth:u«, although they do charge by spico and uoc by _ weight. The expensa of killing and prop.^rin:; tbo labbits would ba considerable, and prob>bly it would not pay to send tha bodies hute^ anyhow. But. it is aaid thtt au advoitiaemoot is to be iuHsrtad in the Mnlb 'urne «nd Sydnoy p^psrs in thn following form :: — <c Tho people of England are anxiously waiting, with team in thdir syos and their mouths wtforing, the arrival oi trcz.<n rabbits. Surely thetia rabbiis can bo caugm, and their bodio? frozm and tjack d in»ii:lo cho sheep to economise ep&co. Tlia nania^o would Co3t very little, and ills skins will fetch a g^nd price. Wanted— 2oo,ooo frozen rabbits, which can bs sent inaido the sba?p to ecooomisa apano and savo carriago in transit. Tru j s=s ot rahbitakins and other fura wanted. " The wosping and dribbling people ara evolved out of tha inner coußcionsness of aorae Bpeculatiyo iadi viilual, "OMtend cats," a-s wo call the uaa'ylonking D'ltch rnbbito displayed outside uonie poiiUorfts' ehopn, ar.i cheap enougb, and it is not at all likply that Austiaiian n\bbitn could bu aeut r«vb to compote with thorn. If <';v:aMi!o mutton will barely pay for freezing, sh.ppijip, insurance, and c^minis-iou, tha^e cant>ol> be much hope for rabbito, Thou thero would bo a constant danger of poisoned rabbii-j be\ug acoidnntally r,ent auion<f a Int. 'Eveu if a rabbit wore uhot, i. n'.i^ht hvvp just o^t^n pol^'.ijied food, O/» .;i)Q whole, wn will eDdadvovir lo exisii without antipodean rabbits.

Date. April 1, IS 85 J.vu. 1, lbSb April 1, 18=4 April i, 188' i Apilll, iSbZ April 1, 1881 Wheat. Qro BS'J.&.'S 1,5^8,123 1/.' iJ 4^B 903,30 i b'<4.637 Flour as VVCcat). Qrs. 55^,571) • 073 7<b (ttU.657 Total es Wheat. Qra. 2 Oid.SOl 2 737,639 1,944,077 1.3i3.J82 1,017,194

LIViS i>TOCK IN GKEAT BRITAIN. Year.'. Caltlo. S siep Pi ->•. 1834 .. 6 289,141 .. "26 OJS 3)4 .. U,fiBl,«J&V ibS'J .. 5,86 ,719 .. 'A>,16:J2?l .. -.JGi.7,767 ISB2 .. 5 8J7.4H .. 21 319 70S .. 2,61",4 Di 1881 .. 5 01,642 .. is>sfel,'MS .. '2,04 a 09J 18S0 .. .1,912 o<o .. 2GO 9,''.' i.i .. 2(0,5>4; 1879 .. 5h56,35(j . 2a i»/,0«0 .. 2,091 sa« io7ii .. 5,73b VIA .. "i» i>6,V.ot> .. 2.48.i,.48 3577 !• 5.69/, W» . » 0., 04 „ a, i- J8 73SS FORBIG3 IMPORTS KJR EIGHT YEA'i'S Yeaifß. Cattlo. Shoot. Pig". liSt .. 421 S ! 4 .. 942,<-63 .. -26,5 1 38d3 .. 47v!»3J .. 1.iv,3 .. 1.3,726 1882 .. 3J3.814 .. i,r.U,ni>7 .. 15.U57 1881 .. 3 9802 .. 9,H 054 .. v 4,459 2830 ..' 351400 .. 9iy « .. 51,127 1879 .. :M4,D01 .. U-tJ,7 I .. 5t,441 1878 .. 249,511 .. bt-ioS .. ;r>,6;9 1877 .. 3954.!8 .. b/2 159 .. 19,672 IMIMRTa FROM JREIANP. Yoar3. Cafcilo. Snsep. l'"A^1884 .. V16,84i .. D 31255 .. 46a 0/8 1883 -. 566,8tf7 -- 4i072i) .. 431 i> 7 o-as .. 78V2 ? * -- * cSS.wi .. • :iJ2 you ISBI .. 671/n7 .. 677,027 .". Si'J.UIM (B^o .. V2l,«8l .. 714,763 .. 372 890 1879 .. 641,370 .. 673.rf71 .. 429,60 i iB7S .. 729 'I-il „ 61-2,099 .. 470 517 1877 .. <M9,4il .. 080,774 „ 585,427

CaUle. Shoejj. Pit's. U-Statea 183 631 Denmark 9J,03i Uaoadu C1.U42 Netherl'ds 44,765 achleswiprUolutoiu 2i t 5"4 Sweden 19,959 Portugal 17,576 Sp3in 17,6 Ci Chinnel Is. 2,613 Norway 97H 1 Ships' S or«s S' Ucrmuny 450,C4C Netherl'd92o3,e^b Ueamark 88.6U3 Ce.-m.da. 61,88!-. SchleswigH'jlsfem 60 43 Belgium •i),0?7 U. States a'), 317 ■wedou 7,7i5 Iceland 0,703 'ciorway 3,63 '\rg'ntino ! OonldtD. 210 |3hipo' Stores :-' j Total 942.68&1 Nothorl'ds 17,0 i Uernuny 8,7 4 1 Sul«iJtn 691 u'atiaJa 7i 0. States i: \ | Total 424,661j Total 26,561 26,56; 1&83. 'aatHe7 '" j _____ i U. htftles 151 C3l Deoinark 113,840 Canadi f»5,177 Nelherl'da 38.749 SchleawlgHolstom 28,18 Sweden 27,10 Spain 2U -tr Portugal 21,8' i Fr mcc 3 28 Channel Is. 2,5^ Norway 90 Bahamas i Iceland [ Sheep. I Sermauv 439 M 2 -otharl'd- 2U.430 Denmark 111 78lj J nada 94,256' f?flgluui 90,281 1 ; Spates t»,083' ■iuhltt-sw-ig- ' ! I)0l«tein '19 IC/J t Poland IoiJJU; twe 'en 7,00-t| '•furway 2 837| ■SjTin 169 i ' rtugal ( 'I hdia <l j Pigs. ' iNofchen'ds '26 ' Ml fGerinany 6,378 jDaumnk 2,72h 'JTrauco 2iS {''anixdi 2 'U. S-.ates 1 lotal 472 B. i 1 L'ot^t 1,113 317' T. fcal 33 '!■/■> Iota!