AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2318, 4 August 1898, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

A supplement to the New Zealand Gazette was published this afternoon giving the acreage and actual yields in corn crops for the spa-snii 1897-93. In an explanatory article, Mr Ritchie, Secretary for Agriculture, says: La^t year a reduction was made from the area under wheat, oats, and barley owing to drought, and unfortunately it has been necessary to do so again this season. The only portion of the colony not affected was the southern part, of Otago and Southland. Fere thorn was too much rain, which was accompanied in the early spring by cold winds. Tlio crops were, therefore, extremely backward, and considerable areas intended for grain did not ripen sufficiently, and have beon «>.ut. for chaffing. In the interim return published in January, the wheat crop was estimated to yield 21 bushels to the acre, but the actual threshing returns show it to be 17.35 bushels. The difference is partly accounted for through the damage caused by a heavy nor'-wester, which blew for several days short 1/ after the estimate was made, otherwise it would have been found very close. The area under wheat is 315,001 acres. Tho actual yield is 17.95 bushels per acre — 5,670,017 bushels; old wheat on hand at 15th November, 1897, 1,149,661 bushels; estimated imported from 15th November to 15th February. 2194;— total, 6,821,872. Estimated exported (including wheat and flour) from 15th November to 15th February, 4-8,000 bushels; consumption for the same period on a population basis of 76 f 3,901 at six bushels per head per annum, 1,153,351 ;— total, 1,201,351. Available for all purposes as from 15th February, 1893, 5,620,521; estimated quantity required for seed (say, 550,000 acres at two hiifthc-Is per acre), 700,000 bushels ; consumption of 771,576 persons at. six bushels per head, 4,629,402;— t0ta1, 5,329,402. Apparent surplus, 291,119 bushels. It will be seen that there is practically no wheat available for export, either in the shape of grain or flour, tut it is just possible that the estimated consumption of six bushels per head is somewhat high . The yields of oats, barley, and rye are also considerably reduced. In maize there is an increase of 2303 acres in the area groivn this year. The crop in the Whakatane and Tauranga Counties suffered severely through frosts during February, and considerable damage was done. Very little maize has yet been thrcohed, therefore an estimate of the yield only is given. The area under ryegrass shows a decrease of 665] acres compared with that of last year. The average yield per acre, however is. -somewhat higher, say, 21.31 bushels as against 19.94- bushels. The total yield is 749,603' bu«hels, to which must be added 136,366 bushels on hand at date of return, or a total of 8?6,469 bushels for tho period from 15th November, 1897.

The area under cocksfoot shows an increase of 9018 acres, the yield being 1511b per acre as against 1631b last year. The total yield is 8,873,7231b, and the quantity of old seed on hand 2,117,0751b, or a total of 10,990,7981b lor the same period. There is an increase of 6*12 acres under potaloas, but the yield per acre in loss than last season, say, 4.95 tons, as against 5.25 tons. The total yield h 180,333 tons, or an increase of 22.804 tons. The figures for tho provincial district of Canterbury are: In wheat, 200,992 acres, yielding 3,035)404 bushels, which £>ues an average of 15.10 bushels per acre. Ju oats, 115,253 acres, yielding 2,312,020 bushels, an average of 20 bushel? per acre. In barley, 10,298 acres, yielding 189,056 bushels, average 18.35 bushels.

Die figures for the provincial district of Otago are: In wheat, £0,445 acres yielding 1,776,595 bushels; average 22.03. in oats' 196,946 acres, yielding 6,169,717 bushels;

average 31.32. In barley, acres, yielding 192,558 bushels ; average 24.26 bushels. In the above the deduction referred to by Air Ritchie has been made. The average rainfall for last year at the principal centres was:— Mongonui. 56.360 in; Auckland, 45.361 i n; Napier, 41.280 i n; Taranaki, 72.530 in; WangJinui, 40.810 in; Wellington, 48.495 in; Nelson, 37.940 in; Canterbury, 14.480 in; Hokitika, ]26.830 in; Greymouth. 114.050 in; Dunedin, 38.110 i n; Queenslomi, 30.560 in; Invercargill, 52.800 in. Dairy cattle are bringing capital prices on the Manning (New South Wales) just now, as everyone is going in for dairying, and maizegrowing as a means of livelihood will soon be a thins of the past on the Manning. The Wyndham Farmer, under the heading "What Our Dairy Kerda Represent," &ays : — " It has often occurred to us to ascertain the number of cows utilised in the dairy industry within the confines of what may be generalised as Lower Ma taur a district — •u-i , including the area extending from Mataura to Seaward Downs, Edendale to Mokore',a, Toi : Toi to Waikawa. Such information was not available until last Saturday, when an approximate return was supplied to the meeting of Wyndham A. and P- Society by Inspector H. T. Turner and Agent J. O. Robinson, of the Stock department. It will come rather as a surprise to most of our readers- as, indeed, it came to us— to lea -a on such excellent authority that within the district delineated there were fully 7000 head of cows mijked during the past season in connection with the various dairy factories and creameries. These kine are all depastured within a radius of, say, 20 miles — we doubt if it is any more—while the majority belong to a much more restricted area. For instance, speaking in round number.?, Ederdale Dairy Factory represents the supply of 1000 cows, Wyndham 900, Maud 700, Otar-i 600, Seaward Downs 450, Glenham 300, ! Toi-i'oi 300, and Tokonui and Waikawa Valley (together) 500— total, 4750 cows ; to those have to bo added the cows of Maiaurd and iledan Dairy Factories, James Gait's, Allan Gait's, Bovrs's, Mrs Jolly's, Doull's, Allan's, Ayson's, etc., private fctctorict-, which arc responsible for another 2500 head, •fh is bringing ihe grand total up t" 7000 head. What is a fair capital value to place on these herds? We have it on excellent authority that they must represent £30,000 »s they should average fully better than £4 each cow. These facts show in a significant and powerful sense tho great value of the dairy industry to this district. _ ', A report from the technical committee of the Devonshire County Council gives the results of experiments carried out in the manuring of mangels on 17 farms. As a i matter of course, the nitrogenous manures ' pioduced the best result. It was found that . nitrato of soda proved mo.-t effective when , applied in three dressings, the first one put on with the seed, and the other dressings later on. On the other hand, the sulphate of ammonia did best when put on all at one:, at the sowing period. The reason of this difference is that pulphate of ammonia is lt-ps likely to be lost after a heavy inJn than nitrate of soda i«. Sunerphopphate alone d'J eoviparfively little good, but when added to nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia it produced marked lesults. Whore the soil was deficient in lime basic slag proved superior to superphosphate. The grcr>ter->t crop on the 17 farms was nearly 28 tons per acre, obtained on plots dressed with 2|cwt of nitrate of soda, 6cwt of superphosphate, and 3ewt of kanut. Practically the pama result, however, was obtained when ' 2cwt of sulphate of ammonia were substituted for nitrate of soda in the mixture just named. J The kainit appears to have a considerable , effect, because the soil was one deficient in ! potash ; but on most of the soils of this j country pot.ish manures are not needed, ex- j cept. to the extent to which pota&h is &up- ! plieJ in farmyard manure pur on to nearly j all land occasionally In experiments with ! swedes carried out on four farms, and com- ( mon turnips on one, the greatest average crop j was nearly 23 tons per acre, obtained on • plots dressed with 12 tons of farmyard manure, 4cwt of superphosphate, and J^cwt of , nitrato of soda per acre. Only about a ton less of roots, however, was obtained by <l»e he!)) of a much cheaper dressing of artificials only, consisting of 4cwt of superphosphate, |cwt of sulphate of ammonia, and 2cwt of 'kainit. j The following is from Thursday's Lyllelton Times: — "Just at the present season,] whei the Grand National meeting is close at hand, growers of prime stock, knowing I that butchers aie on the look-out for e.Ncep- j tioi al animals for their annual displays, take goo:l care to have something to offer worthy ' of showing. Yesterday, at the Addington j maiket, there was some extremely lively com- ( petition over a few of the best lots of cattle and sheep, and very good prices were ob- j tamed. Mr Max Fricdlander, of Ashburton, • had in five very prime purebred Hampshire ( Down wethers. Those were started at about 20s per head, and after some exciting com- , petition were secured by the Ghristchurch ' Ivlea.!. Company at 40s, which is about as high a price as any over got for sheep in these ' yards. Mc>Mß Hopkins and Co. secured a pen o[ very fine half bred wethers, sent forwaid by Messrs Bcaley Bros., of Ilororata, at 21y 6d each. Mr Arthur Chamberlain, of Leeston. sent in some splendid shorthorn heifers, Which were the last of the stock by his celebrated bull White Ribbon, winner of many prices in the showring. Two of thejj were secured by Mr James Knight at £3 12? 6d and £8 10s respectively."

A Ho.Tae paper has the following. It \<i minds on? somewhat of the various infallible • rcconimeinlations to keep flies out of a house, such as hanging mint in the rooms, etc., which look f*o nice in theory, but nevor answer in practice: — " Fr.iu-y two plants, being so unfriendly that, the more neighbourhood of oho i 3 detth to tho other! Yet this is the cas-s with two well-known English plant?. Those are the thistle and tho rape. If a field is infected with thistles, which come up year aff-er year and rum the crops, all you have to do is to sow it with rape. The thibtle wi'l be absolutely annihilated." ( T'iq Cihristchurch Press soys that complaints are made that shcep&tealing is very , rife at the Addington yards. Scarcely a week passes without three or four sheep being stolen from- the pens. The thieves appear to carry on their operations during the night preceding the silo. Most of the fat sheep arc yarded during the night, and, when r.nco in th'j j'ards, remain there at the risk of tho auctioneers, who have to make good tho lors to clients fo/ any that are missing. Ev-.vy endeavour has been made to discover tf.o miscreants by means of watching during the night, but so far without result. T.H.* following paragraph is clipped from the London News : — The enterprising Gerirun merchants have lately begun to run the pioveibi'd carriage and six tlmnigh the Contagious Diseases Act and regulations of tl s Agricultural department. Under the regulations based on that »ct, the prohibition of the importation of cattle from Germany is strictly enforced. A method of evading the requirements of tho act has, however, been discovered, and is now in operation. The Geinian rnei chants ship cattle on steamerr, and send with them butchers, who kill the beasts during the passage, and have the carcases all dressed for market by tho time the vessel arrives at the English port. ; We (Wyndham Farmer) had a visit the ' other day from Mr John Dumbleton (late , manager of Otara Dairy Factory), who is no.v in charge of Featherston Dairy Factory, Wau-arapa district. Mr Du/nbletun ! says his factory Las had a good year, during which it turned out 110 tons cheorje in a season of nine months. The milk-suppliers av3 well satisfied with their payments: while cheese was being made they received 3d per gallon of 101b, and since then have got a minimum of 9|d per lb for butter fat from Finn, C'hishol.n. and Co. (Wellington), th ; s price minp; in accordance with the city market value. In rho. flush of the soyrcn the ! milic supply was 220Cgal, from 22 patrons. Feptherston is a splendid grass district. Mr Duivbleton was inquiring kindly after old , friends down this way. ! A remarkably interesting report on '' Agri1 culture in Germany," by Mr F. Ph. Kocnig, ; has been issued by the Foreign Office, and , i 3 t-) bo had through ihe Queen's printers, Mersrs Eyre and Spottiswoode, of London, for 6d post free. Mr Koenig, who wrote his report for our consul at Dusseldorf, has studied farming both theoretically and practical! v in Germany, and has had experience also m England and Canada. lie appeals to think that Germany stands ahead of iSnglail in advanced farming; but it is questionable whether he has seen the best examples tint could be found in this country. He shows, at any rate, that German farmers Love enormous advantages, though he does not say much about one of them — high duties on imported produce. They have an excellent system of agricultural education, and a very cheap one, while they get analyses of manures and feeding stuffs fieo, enjoy low railway ' rates on ths nations! railways, and have the benefit of cheap credit societies and co-opera-tion. It is clear from Mr Kcenig's report j th'»t agricultural practice in Germany has I vastly improved in recent years ; but how I far the rank and file of the small holders j hav3 followed the example of some of the ! largj farmers and landowners is not dear, i Oae thing that has helped greatly towards ! the comparative prospeiity of farmers in t Germany has been the extension of the beet- ] sugf,r industry, and here again Mr Koenig ; neglects to notice the special advantage which tho cultivatois of the soil have enjojed I through the bounties on the production and e.spor*. of beet sugar. It btrike'i us as odd that, while for ages dairymaids hivo sh pined milk, and lafteily all sorts oi tricks ha v « been rJewsed and practised hi order to obtain puro milk, it I is only now that we henr f<*r iho fhsfc time ! jof ' filling milk. A coi"i>:mv has ] started hu«ino£s in Welhn«iton to tupply dairy produce, and milk will be supplied I either filtered or pasteurised, the latter at an j extra penny per quart. The manager of the company gave the Post the following p.ir- ' ticulars:— " We first enter into contracts I with owncis of cows to supply the company ' with milk. The contractor will be paicl iho highest price in the market, but he will m j bound to observe very sliict conditions — | such an inspection by a veterinary surgeon, , w'io will frequently examine the herd, and order any cows ho considers unhealthy to be , sepaialed from the others and, if badly ' affected, got rid of, or the niilk-s>upply contract- with the owners will bo cancelled | ' .Another condition, strict cleanliness in lie, buildings and their surroundings, will be | ' embrdied, as well as the personal cleanliness lof all engaged^and of all receptacles. Frequent and surprise visits v. ill bo made by tho company's inspectors, to see that these conditions are maintainod." On the inlerviewe' oxpivs'-ing tho opinion that our farmi 1 ! s would protect against such intei ference, tho secretary replied :—" Do you call it interleisuco, if your dgQfcov ci\U to sta you

i every day when you are ill? We will trv.dt a j s?rcit deal moro to tho farmer's sense of j I h'r.KOUr than to the inspector's visits, which ' will bo moro of a precautionary thiin a puiii- , ! ta r o chaiactor. P>c<udes, it will pay the far- ' I mor best to keep his establishment up to ti.e j i highest standard." Continuing the cxplanaj lion of his scheme. Mr Finn said the milk i | cais will bo sent out perfectly clean from | I town. All the farmer has to do with them l ' is set them up in an airy ph.ee, mouth , downwards, and rinse them before putting in , tho milk. Tho company will send ico when | necessary to keep the temperature clown. , The cans ore not moved uniil the last moment i to catch tho train, for if tho temperature j | rise? above 50deg or 52depr, or if tho iniik j stands even for a limited time in tho sun, I it is deteriorated. Then, as soon as it ar- v ; rives at the headquarters, it is tested for j ' quality. This done, the milk is filtered in J | an ingenious arrangement, by which the milk , is forced up through three layers of graded giavel and several folds of canvas; these arc ,' all mirified daily. and it is simply incredible

to see the quantity of offensive matter which | comes out of the filters. The milk is then j placed in small tins, so that the customer can toll \ r . the tin has been tampered with. Each custrmer is supplied with two tins when ciesii'jd. and tho company has special appliances ; for thoroughly cleaning them. The company , ! provides its own delivery of carls and drivers, j and keeps a strict supervision over every dc- j tail. I The annual meeting of the Gore "Dairy j Factory was held on the 27th ult. The | br lance sheet for year ending June 30 showed | i number of shares taken up was 1450. by T9 i sbrueholdors— " this is not as it should be" j | --aiKl calls amounting to £97 11s are uornid. j Total milk supplied clurins: season, 95,826g-il, I an increase of 69&6 gal on last year's supply, J "but a veiy small quantity considering tl c ( capabilities of the district. . - , Owing | I to the low price obtained for the company's I shij ment to London, which only realised Z*A , I por lb, and tho difficulty experienced in quit- j j ti.i^j stock during the cirly part of the season j at ;- lcmunerative priop, only 2;W per gallon , I hay been paid for milk supplied. However, j tbt? company has now entablshed a good pro- J \incial connection, and although the prospects for next season are much brighter than they ( h-i\-e been in past seasons. If the same piuc is obtained for next season's output as H e la! "or portion of this season's make was sold for, your directors will bo able to pay 3d por gallon for milk and have a surplus." [ ' There is a bank overdraft of £*50. In raov- | ing the adoption of the report, the Chair- | man, Mr John M'Gibbon (we quote from , Ei>sign) said "the lo&s on the season's operations was accounted for by the shipment | Home of some nine tons of white cheese. ' Had it all been coloured, and sold in the colony, this loss would have been avoided ; ! b'lt they had been advised in high quarters j to take the step they did. In future they would bo exceedingly careful in going ivn

the local market. They had already inquiries for next season's output, lora! buyers hi v- ' ill* been exceedingly well pleased with the quality of the cheese made. Another thing which fchould toll in the fa\ our of the smaller cheeie factories, such as Gore, was that scve- , ral of the larger factories were going in for cream separators and butter-making."— Wyi'dham Farmer. In order to improve the character of the ( dairy herds of the district, the Camperdown Agricultural Society ih, according to the Australasian, offering prizes for cows producing the greatest quantity of butter dur- ' ing a two days' trial. The prizes, which will be awarded at the local show, to be hold on November 9, are: — First, £5; second, £4: third, £3; fourth, £2; and fifth, £1. These, prizes will be increased by private snbscrip- , tion, and the Camperdown Butter Factory Company has contiibuted £10. According to latest and reliable advices, the.-c is a fashion steadily setting^ in for fine merino wools, crossbreds being off-colour. ' All stocks of fine wools are being strongly held, as holders recognise it will be the grade ( most in demand for the next few ycais.— . Sydney Mail. j In some American States il is a common custom to plant cowpcas in the corn at the timo of the last cultivation. Thc-e arc. , "sometimes drilled in between the rows at Iho rate of about a peck to the acre, and at other times are sown broadcast at the , I rate of a bushel ov moie per acie, and cultivated in. Those soon make a rank growth, and add a great deal of much-needed nidogoi to the soil, as wc-1! a? g;vi >g tho 'urnier | additional feed. ' Ii an article in iho Ei odors' O.^eHc Mr I Joseph E. Wing comp-rci tho I'ar^.-s and i Kaii'boui^eUs (merinos) with the vit-w of showing their points of resemblance (which, says Iho Live Stock Journal, could not fail , to stnkc anyone who has seen both breeds), and also suggesting that they have a common . origin. For the latter contention, however, ' it must be admitted, he docs nut produce any historical evidence. Ho expresses an | opinion that they had "a common ancestry, and that the divergence took place 10 con- , turies ago." It is difficult to know what in i.v have happened 1000 yearn ago^ with regard to a local variety of British sheep, but il must bo the merest guess that there was J the.i any introduction of the merinos. He , adds: "Certain it is that the merinos wore | once kept in southern England, presumably .

in Dorsetshire, and I have reason for suspicion that some infusion of merino blood may have been made there in quite recent times." The attempted introduction of merinos into tUis country was about cmo, uot ten* c«ntu-

ri3s ago, and up to quite recently there wag at leasi, one flock of merinos remaining in .England. But it would bo interesting to kno\v what grounds there are for suspecting any recent, or, indeed, any remote, cross wkh the Dorsets which would materially affect that breed. Ir, is reported that tho extermination of locusts is being accomplished in lihodesia by using atoxine to spread disease. The plan of operations is as follows:— " You gather together the dead inoculated locusts, diy thorn, and, after' giving the fungus time to mature, grind them to powder. The next stop is to catch a few live and healthy locusts, saturate them in a solution of the powder, and let them rejoin the swarm. They act, then, as the winged messengers of death, sprc-ading the infection through the swarm." Thw travelling scouring plant — tho natural accompaniment of the travelling shearing plant— has now found its way into Queensland, and is likely to be largely patronised. Where wool has to be brought long distances either by waggon or rail, it is distinctly ad-

vantageous to have it cleared of its superabundance of yolk and dirt, and thus ell'oet a saving of freight, besides placing tho wool before the buyers in a more attractive condition. In tho articles of the decree regulating the export of cattle from Argentine, it is forbidden to ship cattle suffering from a contagious disease. Another provides for pvoper ventilation of the beast shipped, either on deck or between deck. Beasts must not be placed between deck next to the engine, when; the heat is likely to affect their condition. Other articles provide for plenty of space, shelter, etc. The regulations throughout are framed on the most humanitarian scale. ; Tho purchase of stud catllo for the New South Wales Government is now neaily completed and it has been decided to ship a consignment of them by the Hawke's Bay, which was due to sail between the 15th and 20' ! iof July (writes the'Sj'duey Mail's "London ocriespondent). The incomplete pureha,io consists of the Holsteiu cattle, and the delay in securing them is clue mainly to the fact that they will have to bo shipped direct from some continental port, as the importation of live catile into England, even for transhipment, is torbidden. Most probably they will be purchased in Germany, and sent by tho North German Lloyd steamers; but, again, if those vessels call at certain countries on their way out in which the cattle plague is or has been prevalent, then the laws of New South Wales will not permit their landing, hence there will be no little trouble in getting the JLlolst<3in contingent of the purchase out to the colony. In my next communication I hope to be able to supply considerable details iegin cling this shipment of dairy cattle. "Everybody yesterday had a word of corgratulation for his neighbour over ihe downfall of Mr Joseph Leiter, who thought he

could dictate from his office in Chicago to tho world the price it should pay for its btead." AVith these words, says an exchange, tho London Standard commences an article in winch it deals summarily with Mr Leiter and his attempted wheat "' corner." With tho financial support of his enormously wealthy father, Mr Leiter essayed to f .-ho\v the world what could be done in the way of speculation, and his gigantic endeavour to ecrnei all the wheat in Western America was begun 13 montlic ago, and his early operations wore elaborately masked. Attempts w.r/o made .to bribe the telephone operators who made the connections between a young fellov named George B. French, who was giving orders for wheat right jind left, and his principal. French was shadowed, and eventually his constant visits to Mr Lciter's oflioe put the market on the right scent. By May 1897 Mr Loiter had accumulated 7,000.000 bushels, and this he bought and sokl several times over, getting lower figures for delivery each time. In December Mr Philip Armour, " the hitherto undisputed king of the Chicago grain and provision trade." who was "bearing" the market, was in a critical position. He had sold 6,000,000 bushel-* which he was not in a position to deliver, while Mr Leiter was ready to pay for it. "Having ascertained that there wero 7,000,000 bushels of wheat available in the grauaiies of the Noith-wcst, Mr Armour bough', it at the, holders' prices, and chartered every spare freight train on the railway, and every grain steamer on the lakes, to carry it to Chicago. In a few day 3 wheat began pouring into Chicago by millions o! bushels, and Mr Armour's credit was saved," but this attempt to knock down prices had co:t him heavy financial losses. At the close of the year Mi* Leiter had made profits estimate. 1 , at £1,400,000, his operations had raised tho price of wheat, flour, and bread throughout the world, and he held 10,000,000 bushels oi wheat in Chicago, and several millions afloat between Chicago and Liverpool. It remained to sell and to " liquidate " tho • wheat held, and everything conspired for a time to help Mr Leiter: but he did not kno.v where to slop, and after turning over ciu'ii'ous quantities, both in the form of actual wheat and "options," ho continued to speculate still further ahead. "In tho meantime it became evident that tho aica sowj under wheat in the principal producing countries of the world had been greatly increased, and that the American crop woxild

t Japanese Plums. —The latest and best sorfct cf this va'uable class of fruit nbiain&ble from Nimmo and Blair. Dmaedin,

be far and away tho largest on record." Mi liCiter's father became uneasy at llio dis-co-vOi'y that his son luul, without his knowledge, Extended (ho scope of his operations, and he withdrew his guarantees. Tho young "Napoleon of the wheat pit," as ho v. as ndled, had llicrcfoie cither to f.ice hink j'uptc.v if ho continued to hold, or s^ll of¥ at the least possible delay. IJo chose to fell, henco tho sale of 10,000,000 bushels of wh^ir at Chicago on June 13, and tho accompanying ' slump." It is reported that Mr Leiter will wind up ilie affair \\i(li a net loh» ol £1,000,000. Tho reasons aligned for the breakdown of his reiniukable coinei arc given as follows: — "torsi, his inability, thiougli Jpc l : of fundrf, to cany the cnoinmus amount of wheat loaded on him; second, the t lcady decline in values, due to increased fhipmonls /ron othor grain countries and flic European markets, and reselling by foreign luyors; third, the favourable outlook' for tho p.p jiroaching American harvest. " Needless to pay. thero was not much public aympathy ji'ith young Mr Leiter, who popsibly dlw agropii with at least part of what one- of his crili-ssaid: " Corners no\ei have succeeded. ])robably hover will, and corlainly never f-houhl."

in conneclion with (lie onlhronfc of the lick plague in Queensland, a special examination of the tick districts was made on behalf of llic southern colonies* by Mr IJ. D. Jones, metropolitan inspector of .slock, of Sydnoy. and Mr J. Mathienon, inspecloi of stock, from iVicloria. These officials tiavelled over a largo part of Queensland, theii journey covering about 0200 miles. They left Sydney on

March 8 and returned on Juno 39. A copy of their report lias been received by Mr Taverner, the Minister for AgucuKure. They say that it "scc-'ne mote than likely that in the country ad|.iconl. to the Gulf the licks have come io stay. Tho humid, well-sheltered coastal regions seem lo be t he natural habitat of the licks and tick fe< T er ; and the lccent discoveiics of theii spiead southwards (end lo show that it is along the coastal legions that, they are more likely lo reach the southern colonies. As far as we could asceitain. they are on the decrease at the present time in the dry and open country in the far north- wed of Queensland. There is no doubt, that (ho greatest danger of their being carried southward is to be anticipated from travelling cattle."— Leader.

At the meeting of the Wailahuna Farmers' Club held on the 251h alt., we learn from (ho Tuapeka Times that Mr Tlios. M'Millan de sired to In ing under Iho notice of the club a matter that ho thought a ll ec ted iho interests of (ho fanning community in tho 6ale of their produce through travelling agents. Somo lime in May a pcr-on waited on him representing himself a? an agent for purchasing wheat foi a firm in Dunedin. lie had a quantity /oi wile, and told the agent to take a sample of the wheat himself. 110 did so, and asked him (Mi M'Millan) what, !e wanted for it. lie told him 4s 7d. A few duyp after ho recened notice, thai liia lorms wore accepted, delivered on trucks at tho Waitahuna railway station, consigned to a firm in Lawience. Tho grain (two truck**) was forwarded lo Lawrence. The

Lawrence firm declinod to lake delivery, as not being up to sample, and it was then sent on lo Miltou, where one truck load was disposed of, the other being forwarded on U> Dunedin and stored there in a city film's warehouse. About ton days after the gram had boon delivered at the Wailahuna station as du acted, ho received a note from the Dunedin iivm requesting to know what they should do with the wheat they had in atote of hi*. 110 replied he had nothing to do with it, ;u> he considered his responsibility ceas'cd after delivery at the Waitahuna station. He, however, went lo Dunedin lo see about the maltcr, and was then told that the wheat was not up lo sample, and was offered .1. price very considerably below the first offer. He declined lo accept it, but under the circumstances they offered to compromise the, mattor by accepting half the loss. After consideration ho thought it belter to accept, rather than go to the trouble and cost of litigation. He had been charged with Ihc froight to Dunedin although it was to bo delivered al Wailaluma railway station. He thought it right lo bung the waiter before the club as showing how careful they had to be in dealing with travelling agents.— After discussion, it -\vs\h moved by Mr Rose, seconded by Mr It. M'Corkindale— " That tho club symp.iIhi^p with Mr M'Millan under the civeumslar.ee? slated, and are of opinion that a safer and more secure system should be adopted than at present prevails between the fanners and travelling agents in the buying and selling of their produce." Theie appears to be a prospect of beef ' eing scare o everywhere. The United Kingdom draws large supplies from the United Stales, and " Erudslreet's " says: '"Shipper, of I ecf s-lock stoto that. lhe>e are now veiy fc-w cattle on the ranges in Texas fit, for market. It i' said it will be at least throe months before anything in Hie shape of crassfed L>ee\es will appear on any of the big market?. Even when they do, owing lo the impoverifelio'l condition of the ranges the number will be small — fai below I lie shipment of Lisl year. That iho.ro i? now any gnat, number 'of beef cattle in Te.\as, as cr.inparcd with other years, no well-informed c-.i'lle-roiser believe?. The young stock now ing up, and many yet unborn, have been em traded for, too, and they will leave the country this coming fall." A sillier not many milos from Hastings (fjays the Standard) had a stroke of luck, Be had put his last season's wool up to auction, placing a re°er\e of 5d per pound u?ou it. 110 put il up again and it fetched I^,ci . a tliii-d time and il only fetched 4d. T.'ici le determined to send it Home. It wa<s ii «-xired for Sd per pound, and the vcbsel v.o.ut I .\vn. The Melbourne Leader says tlmt, i,n experiment which nay open up ?. (it'll of inquiry has been tried at Bealiba by Mr If. Todd. who obtained some of the sand that had been Irealed al the cyanide weeks as mai.ure. and sowed it lightly on the surface of his wheat, crop after the seed wps m. On o'oiii? to sco the result the other day he found the portion treated by the sand was twice as far advanced as the rest. Several other farmers are now trying it on his recommendation, t TIT" I Messrs Cameron Bros., of Tuapeka West, are at present, having a large quantity of rabbit -proof wire netting delivered on thenfarm, and wo (Tiiapeka Times) understand it is their intention lo completely nel their farm luunn as "Morrison's." It is more than probable Hunt their example will be followed by other settlers in tho same district.