AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 181, 6 August 1886, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

(By Our English Agricultural Correspondent.)

London, June 17. THK SEASON AND THE CHOPS.

There has been an improvement in the weather during the past fortnight, though the temperature has been generally low for the time of year, probably on account of the presence of icebergs in the Atlantic. Still we have had some sunshine, very hot at times, and there has not been any frost to do damage, so that the crops show a notable advance, even the wheats having improved in colour. I have not yet seen a wheat-ear, though I have travelled through one of the earliest districts in the country. By this time wheat should be in bloom, and the crop is at least three weeks later than usual. A deficient yield is now regarded as certain, and as the acreage is small, our production of the principal cereal is likely to be one of the smallest ever obtained. For all other crops there is now a fair chance, though in certain districts there are complaints of both barley and oats. la Scotland the chief complaint is as to the turnip crop, which cauld not be sown at the proper time. The weather lately, however, has been suitable for roots, and a full plant "of early or late turnips will be general. Haymaking is now in progress, and more settled weather is urgent. Grasses and clovers have grown into bulky crops. MARKETS AND SUPPLIES. The state of the grain markets is worse than ever. No one seems to want to buy wheat, and prices have receded where sales were effected. Yet stocks must be very low, as our impo\rtsj>f | wheat and flour have been much less during the i past five months than they were in the corresponding period of 1885 or 1884. The prospects of production in the world, in addition to the crop already gathered, are by no means bright, moreover; so there is no reason for, a fall in prices except the utterly "bearish" tendencies of the trade at the present time. The Indian wheat crop is not turning out equal to expectations, and in South America as well as Australasia the production is much below average. Drought in Russia has rendered scarcity imminent ; and heavy and persistent rainfalls in France during the blossomingperiodhave greatly deteriorated the prospects of the wheat crop. Then, in Denmark the crop is pretty well a failure ; in Holland it is in poor condition ; and it is only mod&rately good in Germany and Aus-tria-Hungary. Lastly, the outlook for the rye crop, which has an important bearing upon the wheat trade — rye being largely consumed instead of wheat on the Continent — is very bad. In the face of all this, there is nothing to show on the other side but a probability of average crops in the United States and Canada. The latter country scarcely counts as a source of European supply, and we are left to the United States, where the produce- may possibly be 100,000,000 bushels above the very small crop of last year, although the latest reports do not warrant so favourable an estimate, Xto d.efi«

ciency in the rest of the world will probably be three or four times as much as that. A statement prepared by the Statistician of the Washington Department of Agriculture represents ihe world's wheat production in 1885 to have been 2,110,000,000 bushels, and the requirements for consumption 2,165,000,000, indicating a deficiency of 55,000,000 bushels, drawn from a surplus of 125,000,000 of previous growth. Commenting on this, the Cincinnati Prices Current, which has shown " bearish" tendencies all through the season, says :—": —" With a balance of 70,000,000 bushels in the previous surplus of ' wheat, as indicated, and a gain of 100,000,000 bushels in the American production in 1886, and a shortage of 32,000,000 bushels for Australia, India, and South America, there remains a margin of 138,000,000 bushels to cover a possible shortage in other countries for an aggregate supply this season equal to last year's production, which was 55,000,000 bushels below requirements. This means that for these other countries the shortage this season must not be greater than the difference between 138,000,000 and 55,000,000 bushels, or 83,000,000 bushels, to get to the point of usually unavailable resources . (irreducible reserves are meant). If we go further in this question, we find that these other countries produced last year about 1,400,000,000 bushels, which was fully an average production for these countries for a series of years. This would mean that in order to have a reduction of 83,000,000 bushels in this portion of the world's wheat supply, there would be an average of fully 6 per cent, abatement from the production in 1885, which is possible, though hardly probable from the existing indications." Now, here we have an admission that a reduction of only about 6 per cent, in the production of the countries referred to, including all European countries, would bring the margin between available supplies and requirements for consumption to nothing. But the deficiency is likely to be at least double 6 per cent, in Europe, and the other countries will produce little if any more than last year's crop. When it is also borne in mind that the American crop is not at all likely to yield 100,000,000 bushels in excess of last year's production, the chances are that we shall have to draw heavily upon the next crops of early-harvesting countries —such as Australia, New Zealand, and India —by this time next year. As to other markets, meat is about a penny a pound lower than when I wrote a fortnight ago, and cheese and butter are still selling very badly. The supply of all these commodities is likely to exceed the demand for some time to come. AGRICULTURAL IMPORTS. Official figures show that our imporbs of grain, flour, and pulse for the nine months of the cereal year ended May 31 were much lowpr than usual, as may be seen below: — NINE MONTHS'IMPORTS OP GKAIN, PLOUE, AND PULSB, TO MAY 31.

The notable increase in imports of sheep and lambs much more than makes up for the decrease in the supplies of frozen mutton. Other live stock imports, except an insignificant number of pigs, have continued to decrease. THE DAIRY CONFERENCE. Last week an important meeting of dairy •farmers and others interested in dairying was 'held at Derby, under the auspices of the British Dairy Farmers' Association. Representatives of the dairy interest from various parts of the United Kingdom, and from the United States, France, the Netherlands, Australia, and . Cape Colony, were present, and took part in the proceedings. Papers were read and discussed on the following subjects:—" Selection and Management of Dairy Cattle," " The Best System of Cropping and Storage on a Dairy Farm," " English Cheese-making," " Education in the Dairy," " How to Compete Successfully with the Foreign Butter-maker," " The Utilisation of Separated and Skim Milk," and " Winter Dairying." Excursions were taken to Lord "rVernon's admirably-appointed farm and dairy; ./ Mr Bryer's farm, Monkeaton Park; Mr Saint's farm, Barton Park; and to Brailsford and Longford factories. All these places are near Derby. Perhaps the most important paper read was that on " English Cheese-making," written by Mrs Nuttall, one of the most noted makers of Stilton cheese, as that lady utterly condemned the American system of early ripening which has for' some time prevailed in this country. She said she had seldom seen a cheese worthy of the name where this system had been introduced, the article produced being prematurely ripened curd instead of one which had gone through the natural processes of fermentation necessary to its development into a rich, mellow, and digestable cheese. Mrs Nuttall explained very clearly the essential principles of cheese-making, dwelling especially on the constant care necessary in the treatment and feeding of- the cows, in milking with a view to perfect cleanliness, and in the after management ot the milk, the curd, and the cheese. Mr Carnngton Smith, a cheese-maker ot thirty years' standing, made the "humiliating confession that no advance in the art had occurred in lois experience. He expressed his agreement with Mrs Nuttall on the question of premature ripening. Professor Arnold, the chief authority on dairying in the United States, endorsed Mrs Nuttall's remarks, though he s>lood up for science and machinery, feeling sure that thoy would tell in the long run. With respect

to butter-making, the most important point brought out in the discussion was the necessity for aiming at uniformity of quality, as it is in this that foreign butter is superior to English. Professor Arnold and other speakers declared that the general establishment of butter factories would be found essential to the dairy farmers of the United Kingdom, if they are to compete successfully with foreigners. With Mrs Nuttall I entirely agree, as it is certain that the cheese made by the artificial ripening process is greatly inferior to that made on the old system. The only chance for British cheesemakers is to make the best cheese, in which they can beat their American and Canadian competitors, whereas the latter are able to swamp our markets with second and third rate cheese. As to butter factories (creameries for choice), it is no doubt highly desirable to make them general in England and Scotland as they are becoming in Ireland. But it is important to guard against the introduction of fresh middlemen even in the dairy trade, and the creameries should be established and carried on by farmers for farmers —in short, on the purely co-operative system. That point seems to me so important that I would have co- operative creameries or none at all. A friend of mine, who is a dairy farmer in New Zealand, says that he and his fellow buttermakers are seriously injured by the freezing companies, who he declares.have established a monopoly as wholesale butter-buyers. As they can keep their butter as long as they please, they are never needy buyers, and they can make their own prices. This is my friend's version of the matter. Whether it be a fair one or not • readers in New Zealand can judge. I should have thought that the freezing business, by developing the export trade in butter, would have raised prices. Apart from this particular question, however, it is certain that if we introduce a new middleman most of the advantages of the creamery system will stick to his fingers. HOPES DEFERRED. The dissolution of Parliament is a source of much regret to agriculturists, chiefly because there were several very useful measures of special interest to them in a fair way to being made law. First, and most important, there was the Railway Bill, the best measure of its kind ever introduced. Next, the Butter Substitutes Regulation Bill, referred to in my last letter. It has been read a second time in the House of Lords, and would probably have been carried through Parliament with a few amendments if it had not been for the premature dissolution. Then there are the useful Bill for the Redemption of Extraordinary Tithes, the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill, and the Beer Adulteration Bill —all of great interest to farmers. All ! must now be stopped because the " Grand Old Man" has thought proper to plunge the country into a crisis for which it was utterly unprepared when the representative members of the present Parliament were elected. Nor is this the end of the melancholy business, for the coming elections will turn almost exclusively upon the ques« tion of Home Rule, and agriculturists will have scarcely any chance of selecting men who will attend to their requirements. Ireland has had the lion's share of the time of Parliament for several years, and it was the turn of Great Britain to receive some attention. But as English and Scotch farmers pay their rents, and do not shoot landlords, boycott peaceful citizens, or mutilate cattle, they can be safely ignored. SILAGE FOR DAIRY COWS. In the judges' report on the ensilage competition for prizes offered by the Royal Agricultural Society, it was stated that Mr Trepplin, of Kenilworth, ensiled the produce of 900 acres last year, making thereby between 4000 and 5000 tons of silage, which was given to 400 dairy cows. Mr Trepplin says he has gone so largely into the practice because he wants an immense amount of food in winter for his stock, especially milking cows, to which he gives no other fodder, and he feels sure they give more apd richer milk, and keep in better condition with silage than hay. He gives, however, in addition to the silage three pounds per day to each cow of maize, wheat, or barley meal together with a little oat straw chaff, chopped up with the silage. In the autumn he gives cabbages as long as they last, and then goes on with silage. He keeps about 700 cattle altogether, the farm being 3000 acres in extent. It is said that he makes on an average, the year round, lid per gallon of his milk, wholesale ; but as other dairy farmers only get 7d or Bd, this must be a mistake, I think. THE ENSILAGE SHOW AT BRISTOL. In my last letter I gave the official description of the filling and management of the silos at Bristol in connection with the Bath and West Show. The grass in all the silos was taken from a good mixed pasture, yielding, on examination, 16 varieties of grasses, 9 legumes, and 15 weeds. The samples were taken last February, and 6ince that time they have been analysed by Dr Voelcker and Professor Ramsay, Principal of University College, Bristol. The latter gentleman thus lucidly sums up the results for the benefit of the agricultural community: — " Instead of expressing the results of analysis in parts per 100, it may render them more easily grasped if the constituents are calculated in absolute weights, and to facilitate matters, it shall be assumed that each silo contained 50cwt when freshly loaded. The amount of hay shall also be considered as 50cwt, for the sake of comparison. It will be noticed that this is not far from the real weight in all cases except that of the hay. " Loss of weight of 50cwt of grass when made into ensilage; also percentage loss: —

"It is of direct interest to the cattle feeder to be able to compare readily the nutritive properties of these various kinds of fodder. In the following tables of comparison 100 parts of the fresh grass, analysed by Dr Voelcker, has been taken as the standard: —

albumenoids have been classified together as flesh-forming, and the digestible fibre and soluble carbohydrates as fat-forming and heat-giving. Comparison of various Foddsrs. 10,0001b of Grass contain—

changing from a liquid to a solid form, from a drop of fat to a grain of butter. This now appears to be the secret of chiirning, and hence the necessity for having the temperature right. If it is too high, the globules remain liquid instead of congealing, are broken up into still smaller globules. If too cold they fail to cohere. Not only is the albumen around them' more tenacious, but perhaps they are already congealed. And this suggests to me the idea that perhaps it is better to run the temperature of the cream too high for churning, so as to be sure and liquify the fat globules, and then let it lower to the desired point, as fat is a poor conductor of heat, and would not change in temperature as soon as the serum in which it floats would. Herein may lie the secret of some of the trouble in churning in cold weather — that there is not only more albumen in milk at this time, but that it is more tenacious, and the butter globules are already congealed when the churning begins. I would recommend the experiment of running the temperature of the cream up to 90 degrees and then lowering it, and also a free use of warm water to dilute the cream and liquify the albumen. Such experiments will cost nothing, and may possibly drive the " witch " out of the churn and make the butter come. Milking- Sheep. — Our (New Zealand Agricultural and Pastoral News) Christchurch correspondent calls the attention to the desirability of milking sheep in the colony for the purpose of cheesemaking. If this suggestion was adopted on a large scale it would add an article of export that would be of great value. There is no cheese to be compared for richness and flavour to that make from the milk of the sheep. In the boyhood of the writer some 50 years ago, they were universally milked in Wales. The custom was given up we believe because it was shown, that if the lambs were left longer rnnning with the dam, they could be sold as yearlings at a price equal to what was realised for them as two-years-olds. We don't know Roquefort cheese ; but we never tasted anything equal to the sheep milk cheese of old Wallia. Docking-.— The length of the dock — that is, the tail itself minus the hair — is from a foot to two feet in length, at the very longest ; but a morbid taste at times appears to consider the natural dock too long to please the eye; the tail is therefore amputated to a variable extent, from an inch or two from the extremity to within a few inches of the body. There can be no doubt that, in the great majority of cases, the painful operation of " docking " — as chopping off a piece of the tail is termed — is performed without any reasonable pretext, and simply to gratify a morbid taste. Nothing can be more disfiguring, or even hideous, than such a fashion, when carried to such an extent as to leave a perfect ho^se with only a few inches of this most graceful and useful appendage, which was intended by Nature not only as an adornment and defence to the animal, but a protection to the most delicate and sensitive parts beneath. Not only does this docking make the horse a ludicrous effigy, Dut it renders it for life a victim to the torments inflicted by flies and other insects. The importance of the tail in this respect has been so fully recognised by the British army authorities, that an order has been recently issued to the effect that no docked horses are to be purchased as troopers. At one time British cavalry horses were docked and " nicked " (the muscles on the under surface of the tail so divided that this could not be drawn downwards, but ever after carried rigidly upwards like a wooden stump), as well as the ears cropped close to the head. History tells us of the disastrous effects of this mutilation, at least so far as the tail is concerned. For instance, Hartmann (" Traito dcs Haras," p. 279) informs us that the English cavalry, during the last century, was several times almost rendered useless from the losses among tho horses caused by the attack of flies, from which they could not protect themselves; this happened in 1743 near Dettingen, and also at Fritzlar, Hochkirch, Wilhelmsthal. He also specially notes that in the Seven Years' War, which commenced in 1756, the flies caused such disorder amongst the horses of the English cavalry at Minden that the battle was nearly lost. All lovers of horses should enter their protests against the continuance of this absurd and pernicious 1 fashion, which is rarely required in order to render the horse more useful, and then only in cases of disease or malformation, or it may be with a view to safety in harness. The latter, however, can only be extremely seldom, as in many countries — for example, the United States, Russia, and elsewhere, where harness horses are as much employed as in the United Kingdom — docking is not practised. " Nicking " the tail is highly objectionable, except in those cases in which it is badly carried, when division of the muscles may rectify malposition or deformity. Of course no objection can be raised to cutting the hair to any length which may be necessary, on the score of cleanliness and utility. — Sidney's " Book of the Horse." Diseases of the Ewe and Lamb. — Milk fever in ewes is not very common. The first symptoms are weakness, dullness, unsteady gait, loss of appetite, and a twitching of the ears and hind legs. This is more common in highly fed and plethoric animals of all kinds. The time of attack is usually a few days before j'eaning tirne^ Give the following, after separating the ewe from the flock: — Nitrate of potash, one drachm; sulphrate of magnesia, three ounces; molasses, three onnces. This may be given in warm linseed gruel. This will open the bowels, or if it should not, in about ten hours repeat the dose. When the bowels have been evacuated give twice a clay the above dose, with the exception of the sulphate of magnesia, as long as the fever continues. After the fever has subsided give nourishing foods of the bone and muscle forming variety and tonics, such as the charcoal powders. Garget in ewes may be known by the swelling and heat of the udder. It is usually more or less sensitive and sometimes exceedingly so. Sometimes black spots appear on the udder, which break and make very stubborn sores. Shivering and lameness are sometimes present. Foment the udder, and give internally the following : — Oil of turpentine, half ounce ; sulphate of magnesia,, four ounces ; powdered ginger, one ounce. Put the lamb to the teat as soon as possible. Rheumatism sometimes attacks lambs. The limbs of some of them become stiff, causing a difficuty and awkwardness in motion. There are cramps in the neck, and the animal manifests an inclination to remain quiet and listless. The bowels soon become constipated. One writer states that if ewes are fed during the last months of pregnancy on large quantities of clover, potatoes, and grain, or if she is permitted to eat mouldy food of any kind, it may cause rheumatism in the lamb. We give this statement for what it is worth. Certainly the animal should not be fed on mouldy grain, whether rheumatism results or not. Such food would produce a bad effect upon the milk, and bad

milk would likely produce disease of some kind*.. It is said to be most common during tls& wet,, cold days of early spring. Weak lambs are a«bject to it. In tho first place see that the ewe© have proper food. Give the following at tho commencement of the disease :— Powdered sulphuretted antimony, five parts, and fresh but ber one' part. Mix, and then administer a quantity tho size of a hazel nut. three times a day. I£ lambs are troubled with constipation give spoonful of castor oil, as we have recommended for sheep. After this give a tonic every day, such ■ as this : — Golden sulphur of antimony, half drachm; common salt, one drachm. The following will be convenient and useful to give as a food to lambs suffering from diarrhoea: — White of egg, one part •• water, six parts". These are beaten together and given lukewarm. The Special Purpose Coiv. Mr O. C. Gregg, writing to Howard's Dairyman in favour of breeding cows fof dairy uses» sums up his argument as follows : — 1. Dairy cows are wanting at every poifltf that makes a cow valuable for beef. This is a statement made upon their anatomy or structure*. They are sans round, sans sirlion, sans everything where the valuable feed is found. It does not answer me to say that I have a cow that will make lOlbs of butter per week, Jand will when fat, make so many pounds of meat for the butcher ; for such cows are so rare that they are almost phenomenal ; and again, in the nature of the case, they ,>ould, if better or butter-bred make more butter and less beef, so that the claim of gain in beef is a confessed loss of butter. 2. Continued feeding and handling for milk tends to destroy by inaction the aptitude to lay on flesh in advanced life. This is true by the law of habit. 3. If butter is worth making at all it is nofc only worth making well, but the cow should bo fed and bred for all that is in her, as the burden of dairy, not feed, expense is upon her. 4. The dairy market to-day offers paying prices for fine quality in the product. Does it not seem like folly to discount quality of butter in ignoring the butter breeds by seeking for additional cow beef in these days of ranch cattle and beef depression ? 5. The dairy market indicates to-day that we are on the eve of cheaper butter. Cheap bread has come and cheaper butter is coming. How can we make cheaper butter and live? We must face the market. There is one way in which we can make honest butter cheaper, and that is by making more butter per cow. We must have more ten and twelve lb cows and less seven lb cows and blanks. We must breed cows as men are breeding horses, viz., " to get there." The rapid advance iv dairy breeding is an open door out of our present difficulty. Bear in mind, however, that he who enters here must leave all hope of beef behind. 6. The argument often urged that we should diversify in this matter of dairy work by having a little butter, some cow beef, and a few steers is lame for the following reasons : — Mere diversity pays nothing. If I have so much less butter because of more beef, then I have less dollars — then diversity has cost me something. It is a luxury and not an economy. Such diversifyers are seeking after the impossible, and would attach so much dairy expense to a beef cow that they would never be able to pay cash. Again, substitute the growing and training of fine cows for steers, and you have a natural and paying diversity.; 7. My experience confirms all that I have written, and I will now add a few lines of summed-up experience. An old dairy cow is a fraud to fatten. A steer from a good dairy cow by a good dairy bull is nearly a fraud. A Jersey steer from a good Jersey butter stock is, in my experience so far, an absolute fraud. On tho other hand, this deep-milking stock is my paying dairy stock. I have spent much of my time in searching after the paying compound, but now give it up. When I search again I will also search for white black-birds. The Rise in the Price of Wool. M. Em. de Harven, woolbroker, Antwerp, in his circular of the Antwerp market dated June 4, gives some interesting particulars of the rise in wool which took place at the sale there. He reports that in three weeks the total quantity sold in the market was 22,000 bales South American, and 4000 bales colonial wools, at a final rise of f u11y,20 per cent, over the previous closing point. So sudden and important a change as that abovementioned is described by M. de Harven as being unprecedented within the recollection of the present generation, and therefore requiring some examination. Mr de Harven writes :—: — " Amongst textiles, wool, no doubt, stands ahead. Consumption, so far, always went on a par with production, although during the last 20 years the latter lias been nearly quadrupled in the two great woolproducing countries, viz., Australasia and Eiver Plate, True to say, the value of wool has, within. the last quarter of this century, experienced four heavy declines in the face of "momentarily rather superabundant stocks, but the low ruling prices of the raw material each time provoked a larger consumption of manufactured goods, when, simultaneously, the production remained for some time stationary or slightly diminished. " Notwithstanding lenewed improvement of prices, the consumption has never sustained the slightest stay, which shows that whosoever has been used to wool wearing will never again do without. It should also be borne in mind that most European countries are. more or less, diminishing their woolgrowing, whilst the Europeans of the globe increase 1 per cent, per annum— that is to say, that every year live millions more wooj consumers, of our nice alone, are to be met with. " The most noticeable rise previous to the present one took place iv 1871. after a short fall of 5 to 6 per cent. following thealmost uninterrupted progression of prices since 1869 ; but then December, 18il, the standing quotations for wo"l were nearly double those ot last April, viz. at l.Sofr. per kilo (8d per lb) against 1.05fr. per kilo (4£d per lb) for Buenos Ayres, which did not prevent it reaching in February 1872 the extreme ligure of 2.40fr. per kilo (10|d per )b). It soon was followed by an equivalent decline, as this figure was as abnormal.as that of 1.05, which we still underwent six weeks ago, ruled as we were by the disastrous colonial sales in London. " The present rise is owing greatly to a thorough change of the fashion of reporting all at once upon merino textures, the favour more especially enjoyed during the last few years by the low and orossbred wool woven stuffs. Anyhow, the rise of prices which followed the equally low level of 1869 was not commanded by such pressing causes as the one we now witness. At this former period the depression was due principally to this fact, that mechanical imp'ements were insufficient to work up tho available quantities of wool, whilst at present tbe power of such implements possibly exceeds the requirements of the production. "Should it happen that, on account of its impetuosity, this lasc. start would be likely (o nndergo a temporary stoppage, or even a slight reverse, it may be allowed to presume that the present rate of prices, yet far below the average of past decade, leaves the article in a sound position, espeeiallyif the general state of business is about to improve), as iniiv bo expected if wo jugdo by some other favourable forcshowings." The attached table, showing tho production

of clean scoured Australasian and River Plate wools, taken from the same circular, will be found both interesting and valuable, and should go a long way towards dispelling the feeling that the Australian Voolgrower is being overshadowed by the South American producer :—: — Produce of cleaned wool from Australasia and River Plate, and aveiage corresponding rates of the same wools in the grease, since 18(30.

The village settlement scheme will be tested in Otago on a somewhat extensive scale on the 31st inst., as there are a number of sections open for application on perpetual lease on that date in a number of districts, such as Dunedin and East Taieri, Benger, Chatton, Clarendon, Glenomaru, Mount Hyde, Hawksbury, Wanaka, and other districts. The leases arejj for 30 Jyears, with renewals for 21 years. Each selector will be allowed to take up only one section, and he must have no interest in any other land. The areas vary in size, and the upset rental is from 3s to Is per acre. Each application has to be accompanied -by a registration fee of 10s, and where there is more than one' application the right to . occupy will be Bettled by lot, except that preference will be given to married men. To enable selectors to do something with the laud ; with any capital they may possess advances not exceeding £20 are made for the erection of houses, and should the land be covered with bush a further advance of £2 10s per acre up to 20 acres will be made for clearing and grassing. It will thus be seen that an excellent opportunity is given to those who desire to settle down and cultivate a small allotment, and as the settlements have been laid out asmuch aspossiblein districts where employment from others is likely to be obtained, this first attempt should attract some attention. An effective instance of rabbit extermination by the aid of the domestic cat turned loose to prey upon them is reported by the Farmers' Gazette, Melbourne. From this journalj ournal we learn that one of the worst infested estates in "Victoria ■was that of Wooloomanta, near the You Yang Mountains. Here the rabbits had in there favour a dry climate, plenty of cover, and a light sandy loam for their warrens. For a time they almost took possession of the estate. All the known methods which a free expenditure admitted of were brought to bear to lessen their numbers, with more or less success, excepting upon an area several hundred acres in extent of drift sand densely clothed with the common fern. Here they defied all efforts, till finally it was resolved to experiment with the domestic cat, and Is. per head was given for 250 head. When purchased, the cats are conveyed to a roughly-con-structed building out on the sand hummocks, which are covered on top and sides with wire netting, to prevent their escape: - Here they are fed on rabbits for a month, at the expiration of which time they become thoroughly acclimatised, and are then turned loose in batches. Food is still provided at this building, should they not take to hunting for themselves at once, but, as a rule, the ;four weeks' training is sufficient, and they pursue their prey with great keenness. None of them have ever been known to return to their original homes after having served the month in prison. As to the results, the special reporter of the above journal writes : — " During a thorough inspection of the sand hummocks just a little before twilight, our party only succeeded in seeing three rabbits. The cats, on the other hand, were to be met with everywhere, and mangled rabbits, some slaughtered but recently, and others dead for weeks, were come across in all directions. The cats were evidently the complete masters of the situation. We noticed with pleasure, too, that several members of the little colony had commenced to emigrate, and had taken up their abode along the banks of a winding creek that traverses the run. They -will no doubt givo a good account of themselves here also. There can bo no two opinions as to the success of this experiment. Its cheapness, too, is one of its strongest recommendations." Mr Arthur Clayden, writing in the Daily Telegraph on "New Zealand in 1886," speaks in the following terms of dairy farming in the colony : — Dairy farming is rather more promising, as the droughts of our neighbours of Victoria and New South Wales send them over here for butter and cheese. I think a number of the excellent dairy farmers of Glo'ster, Somerset, and Devon might do well here. It is a sad fact that the majority of our New Zealand _ farmers do hot turn out good butter and cheese. Indeed, I am disgusted with the average farming here, and should much like to see what some of my old Berkshire and Bssox farm-relatives would do amid these splendid climatic conditions. I have been riding through some halfmillion acres of land in this North Island which is in the market at about £2 per acre. Surely it were better to be working on land' thus cheap than to be paying that sum annually in the shape of rent. Bell's Weekly Messenger states that despite the 100 dollar fine for the entry of imported Herefords in the American Herd Book, the export trade between England and America goes on swimmingly, and that in one week in March last Mr Veld, of Leominster, shipped for Toronto twenty-eight young bulls of exceptional merit. The same paper says that even in these depressed times good young Shorthorn bulls, if from deep milking strains and of high merit otherwise, make very satisfactory pieces, and instances a herd, that of Mr C. Hobbs, of Gloucestershire, who goes in for milk, and keeps no cows in his herd but those who have excellent dairy properties, where the young bulls the whole outcome of the herd for last year realised an average of £43.

AUSTTRALA&IA, River (Buexos LATE IYUES). Cleaned Wool. Cleaned 7 iVool. 1860 ... 1861 ... 1882 ... 18*3 ... 1864 ... 1865' ... 1866 ... 3867 ... 1868 ... 1869 ... 1870, ... 1871 ... 1872 ... 1873 ... 1874 ... 1875 ... 1876 ... 1877 ... 1878 ... 1879 ... 1880 ... 1881 ... 1882 ... 1883 ... 1884 ... 1885' ... April 1886 ... "Yenr. Quantity in 1000 of lb. 34,909 40,669 43,546| 4(5,424 57,«34 64,073 67,334 79,419* 92 650 i 96,68i| 10i,742 109.921J ' 106,276* 109,496 124,496* 136,745£ 146,745 155.996 150,244$ 15(3,490| 167,994* 178.995J 197,243? 198,743 i 224,493> 217,005 Average rates per lb. d. 12 10^ Hi 11 10J 12 11 10 9a 8* 13 14f 13* 14 12* 12i 11 10J 10 11J12 12 12 11 9 Quantity in 1000 of lb. 15,896^ 22.503J 25.504 28,001£ 30,906 44.007J59,510" 1-5 G5,Y)51 76,013 78,513 70,012 74.512J 77,513 83,497 4-5 72,4971 70,4971 73,2474 77,747^ 72,217166,7i7i 76,993 74.247J 84,247 84,997t 102,746^ 112,896 Avernge rates per lb. d. 10* E * i 8 7t 7 7»71 l\ f* ? n 3 7i - 4|