INTERCOLONIAL AGRICULTURAL AMD PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 8 July 1903, Page 8

INTERCOLONIAL AGRICULTURAL AMD PASTORAL NEWS.

(Pastoralists 1 Review for June.)

NEW SOUTH WALES.

Sydney, June 9.

Since our last issue New South Wales has over a great portion of its area been favoured with a more or lees copious faill of rain, whioh has, for th» present at least, raised the drought. With the exoeption of the territory west of a line from about Condobolim to Deniliquin, and couth of a line from Nymagee through White Cliffs to the South Australian border, where the worst features of the drought unfortunately still hold sway, rain has fatten of an abundant oharaoteT, just short 'of any flood tendency, except on the north coast and northern highlands. Such floods as have resulted have fortunately been of a temporary character, and no serious results have followed. It is_ regrettable that in spite of the copious downpour, the growth of grass is very 6low, and except in districts which were favoured with summer rain, there is only a bare picking for 6heep, even with reduoed numbers, and there is mot a good mouthful for large stock as yet. The cold sna,T> of the last few days will emphasise this position, and there is not much reason to hope for a real improvement, say, till August next. Still, im spito of shortcomings, -Hie general rain has gladdened the heart of the people all round, and agriculturists especially aye looking forward to a spk-ndid season next summer, and are sowing large areas under crops. While the prospects for agriculturists are capital, they are certainly not so cheerful for pastoralists, who, even if the graes grows, which is so much desired, have a difficulty in finding the wherewithal to stock up again. Indeed, many pastoralists who formerly had stock, but no feed, are now placed in the position of having feed, but no stock. Much of the grass will not be fed this season, and there will be plenty of dry feed for the early summer at least. Bv«ry effort is being mode to retain or procure ewes, and extensive purchases of ewes have been made at Homobush, almost all the awes worth having have been snapped up for breeding. .The owners of fat sheep should be, metaphorically, making bay just now, judging from the prices obtainable. At the Homobueh market the other day a line of 35 very hea-vy crossbred wethers made no less than 34s 3d per head, and crossbred ewes made up to 25s 9d. Merino wethers also brought some high prices, the best obtained being 26s for a line of 35, while many other sales were made in the neighbourhood of £1 and over. Merino ewes, iv a few instances, made up to 17*. and prices generally range well up towards £1 a head, tho values being the higher; reached sine® last year's records.

Up to May 31 the exports of wool from the port of Sydney were valued at £3,177,097, as against £2,906.731 for the first five months of 1902, am inorease of £270.276, which is highly gratifying in view of the all-round bad times we have been experiencing. At the same time, unfortunately, tallow snowed a deor«ase of £150.714-, pkins and hides a decrease, of £49 120, wheat a decrease of £*33 402, meat a decrease of £158,991, butter a deerr a)(» >f £6213, and produce a decrease of £36,423. The only item of production outside of minerals whioh showed an increase besides wool was flour, which had an advance of £8579, though this was only a redistribution, and not an export. It is a notable fact tba 1 the export of gold has increased from £677.256 fo" £947,228.

VICTORIA. Melbourne. Juno 13.

The past month has been all that pastorrJists and agriculturists could possibly dosire. Wo have had several nice falls of rain, and genial weather to follow, with very few severe frosts. As a consequence the early-sown crops look splendid, find sowing ia still being 1 >arried on. Grass is growing well in every district, except on the wimd-swept portions of the north-western country, and even there the growth gives nice sheep feed. The autumn generally is one of the best evei known, and present indications could not be more favourable for the oominsr season. Wtth such late sowing no doubt many crops may prove failures, bub at the worst they will provide good feed for stock. Stock are improving in condition in every district, and with tho increased numbers of fat sheep in the country districts, prioes have receded con-Bider-ably. Store stock of aJI classes are in the keenest demand, the northern buyers particularly being anxious to secure good lote of cither cheep or cattle. There are numbers of eager applicants for tho Crown leases now thrown open for selection.. In all probability we sHall hay« a splendid lambing, and the number exported is >ure to bo large, though ewe lambs may prove to be worth as much to store buyers as to the freezing companies.

Dairy returns hare fallen off coneirloraMy since the cold woatlter set in. Good d»iry oows and hwfftra are very keenly sought for by buyers from the northern districts, who now see a proeppot of profitably resuming tluit branch of industry Tlve value of artificial manures Uns been plamly manifested this autumn, all the crops drilled in with such showing a marked BUiperriority to those planted without such aid. To oonolude. a record season w now practically assured in «*verv- part of thA State, only a few isolated locailitiKs failing to benefit T>y the general rainfall. The crops in the "Western district this year are going to be lar^or tlian for many seasons past. An iranvmse area is wideT cultivation for wh«at on the Mount William, Edgarlov. and other eataios. In t*'-e Wimmera, unatoad of a laos arverago un<Jer crop, a reliable autlioritv informs me there will in many parts be quite aa nwich as a half more. " rho raason is that almost all the orope failed to ctrow at all last season, so the land is bea'ntr sown again this yw, as well as the oortions thab h*fl Win fallowed for tlu> ordinary crop. With crood rains reported in QHOanWand and Yew Bou+h Wales, the bh damand for fe«kWr and pratn created by the draught experienced there for so kin? P aftt c*ase, and the supoly ■pa-oduoed in Victoria bo nvucb in _ excess of d« i mands, with an almost certain big drop ift prices. QUEENSLAND. Brisbane, June 8. Encouraging reports are to hand from nearly all the districts affected by the rainfall during the early daye of last month, though ia some quarter*, notably »iound

Lmgreach and the Peak Downs, ifc is stated] that the fall was disappointingly patchy. Taken altogether, however, these rains, which embraced the whole of the southern and central coastal districts, the whole of the southern inland districts as far as Thargomindah, and a very large area, of Central Queensland, were most satisfactory, and put another nail in the coffin of our record drought. Nowhere was the fall more welcome than in the agricultural districts, as it ensures a growth of the grain already in the ground, besides preparing the way for further planting. The reverses of recent years have rendered our agriculturists somewhat pessimistic in the matter of weather? conditions, and there is not the same readiness to chance the rainfall as in pre-droughfc days. In the present instance sufficient rain; to ensure the germination of the grain when, planted eliminates one adverse condition, and the moisture for the subsequent growth and ripaning and the absence of late frosts and grasshoppers and rust are "odds" which must be left for _tim,e to declare. The hardening in the store stock market continues, and the sheep particularly are very difficult to procure, even at prices which in the past we have looked upon as prohibitive. Practically no one here is offering breeding ewes for sale, and the prices quoted in the southern sale liste are equivalent to between 20» to 25s landed here.

For cattle there is a good inquiry for restocking and for the meart works. The north-wsst is still under levy for both purposes, ond large drafts are now moving sou+.b. It is estimated, by the way, that WOOO cattle will be trucked over the northern lie© to Tilte meat works, and the Premier has promised that tho extensiofi of tlie line to Richmond will b» pushed on as quickly as possible so as to be available for tlii" traffic.

During the month a very successful sale of wool was hold in Brisbane, at which 3000 bales were sold at vprv satisfactory prices. The local* marker has not declined in favour of tho grower — rather the reverse—' but the enormously reduced quantities of woo 1 available owing to the drought losses, comVm»d the southern or London "D^edi"fd" clips, hamper the efforts Mia* are being- made for the holding of more frequent offerings in this centre. The sales, however, have come to star, and while *ho brokers can offer a catalogue of such fine Darling Ttowns and western wools as on the occasion referred, to, when production is at its lowest ebb. little fear need be felt for the stability of Hip locwl market.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Adelaide, June 10. It is many years since we have experienced such glorious rains as those which have fallen during the,past eight weeks. April opened in a way which caused anxiety, but before the end of that month mceieoonal showers— the like of which we have not seen for several years — came along arid, caved the situation. Throughout the whole of our settled districts there was a> good downpour, and the record for April was an inch above the average for the past 60 years. May provided genial days, and plant life made good growth — so great that competent authorities declare they (never saw crops and feed generally so far advanced at the beginning of June. The present month has beaten its two immediate predecessors, and we have had a week of continuous rain. I have had a personal acquaintance with our northern country for 30 years, end I never remember seeing it look so well as it did 10 days ago when driving through a portion of it. The wheat crops are looking splendid, and there is albundanoe of grass and wa.t«r.

High expectations are being formed of the forthcoming lambing. It is confidently believed that the percentage will be far above the average. Id consequence of this favourable outlook merchants are preparing for a brisk excort trade in frozen lambs. Seven years ago we sent away 2000 carcases, but last year, whioh was by no. means a good one, over 100,000 oarcases were scmt away. Shipments during next season are expected to oxceed 200,000 carcases. Far more attention m bwing devoted to the breeding of lambs suitable for the London markets, and tho profitable nature of the business- is induoinrc lavgA brood"-* and small farmers to grow lambs for export.

Farmers have leaped a golden harvest this season owing to the fodder requirements of stock owners in other States. Since November last over 50.000 tons of hay have been exported, and a very lucrative business has bee-n done all round. Many instances are quoted of farmers with 500 acres cutting 1000 tons of hay, and selling it at an- average of £3 to £4 per too ! Wheat at 5s a busbel, with a return of two bags to tho acre, would give about £2 to the acre, whereas two tons of hay to tho acre has produced equal to about £7 per aova.

Mr A. J. Cotton, of Hidden Vale Station, Queensland, has made additional purchases of high-class cattle from Mr J. H. Angas. At the last Sydney show he boughfr four An gas shorthorns, paying up to 20 guineas for animals one and a-halt vearp old. He has now secured four podigr^e sNwfchorn heifers and four purebred Hereford heifers. Mr Cotton intends starting a stud, and has begun well by laying a splendid foundation.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Perth, June 2. * Although the winter is now fairly upon v«, tho rainfall so far has not been sufficient to satisfy local wants, and agriculturists are beginning to grumble. However, at time of writing, good soaking rains are reported from the eastern districts, and farmers should now fotve no difficulty in finishing their ploughing.

The market for fat be>ef ia well supplied from tho norbh-west. steamers, as usual, being employed to bring the stock from Wyradham and Derby. Mutton, however, has been rather scarce. The a a Norfolk, from New Zealand, last week landed 1000 carcases. This is a new departure for Western Australia, but I do not think regular supplies will be comiixEr through. Our norfch-west country should shortly be ablo to supply all local wan to. The various disi/riofc? along fche Great Southern Railway owiHnu© to attract large nnmber<! of settlers from she eastern States, principally from South Australia. Tm the Kafonnin? Division alone applications for land in Slay totalled 60.000 acres, principally for agricultural pursuits

Narrogin also appoars to attract nowconara. Local settlors hare have decided to Bfcfcrt a co-operative flourmiU

Besides turmnar out som* nf tho finoct oropa in the State, these dis-twota also pos-

eess GOms compact sheep stations, their wool always being amongst the best Western Australian clips in the home and eastern sale catalogues.

TASMANIA.

Launceeton, June 9. Tasmania las been favoured this season •with euoh plenteous rains that farmers are beginning to exclaim, "Enough ; give us a spell of fine weather." A fortnight ago most parts of the island were visited "by a fierce gale, which brought trees down in some heavily timbered distriots by the hundred, and killed much stock. The country, however, k looking really well, and sections which are usually behind in the matter of rainfall have- this season received a welcome snare of moisture. "Nothing under a big flood ■will -do us aaiv good in the Midland*," remarked a leading merino man to me last March, but the .soil bo* already received a good soaking without Hie *id of a deluge. Stock, considering tbe tun© of the year, are looking well the autumn feed having proved more abundant than has been the case for years past. •Since the freezing works started operations in Hobart and Launeestca, wbbits have been rolling into the two cities in thousands. Chatting the other day with a stationmoste-r at one of the northern railway stations, he informed me that the starting of a cool storage- had made a difference in his receipts of £50 a week, and there are other -centres which would be benefited to a greater extent. Many hands have been provided with employment, and now paatoralifte and agriculturists are asking how they managed to get on without the aid of cool storage for so long. Mr C. E. Govder, manager for W. T. Bell ant] Co., the well-known northern firm of auctioneers, has been advocating in the press the substitution of mutton and lamb production for wheat-growing. Mr Goyder contends that the latter industry in oouree of time cannot pay Tasmanian farmers, for a good season or two on the mainland will bring dorm t>ho price to an unprofitable figure. Now that cool storatre is available, there is no reason why farmers should not devote the land utilised «t present for wheat to the Taking of sheep for treatment at tbe freeing works. H«» ooints out thai mutton and lamb can be profitably exported, while wheat is certain to bo a precarious crop. Potato-growing threatens to become overdone in Tasmania, «md the crop is not always certain of a profitable market. A time, it rtrikea me, is rapidly comine when our north-we<rtern farmers will find themselves compelled to po in more extensively for dairying, pig-raising, and lamb production.