INTERCOLONIAL AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2578, 12 August 1903, Page 9

INTERCOLONIAL AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

(Pa^toralists' Review for July ) NEW SOUTH "WALES. Sydney, July 10. The month of June has been a particularly dry one for this State, and though there is jjood grass in many districts, which renders the pastoral outlook many times brighter than this time hst year, it is in regard to the grain crops that the position is critical, [ and to a very large extent the prospects of our next harvest will be affected by tho rainfall of the next few weeks. Hov,c\<?r, tho outlook generally has improved since Ist July. Genial and useful rain has fallen over nearly one-third of tho State, all -that portion of territory north-east of the main line towards Bourko having registered falls which are* «f immense value 4o the young grass and crops. Though the wester.i central districts havj had'^up to the present rain sufficient to keep grain crops growing, the country is now becoming dry, and to ensure a good spring growth of wheat as well as grass rain is urgently wanted. The south-western portion of the State, foej3finning*at Narandera, is still badly in want of soaking rains, and! unless they coma the , harvest from the country on the Murrumbidgeo and Dnriing will show very little improvement on that of late years. Eastern Eiverina has been favoured with useful and well-distributed showers, and the harvest prospects thers, as far as can be anticipated ,pt this eaxly date, can be said to be fairly sa-o. Lambing has commenced in several districts of the State, and though it is yet too early to speak with any certainty of the percentage, it is gratifying to hear that, in the instances already reported, it is higher- than Mas ar>tic-rp^*-e<l. It is staked that on on© well-known property on tho Upper Hunter some- 30,000 ewes are now lambing, and the results so far are so satisfactory that a percentage of 80 is confidently expected. In parts of the Riverina the lambing is also good, Taut ft is reported that nearly 10 per cent, are- being lost through oo'd and pests. Foxes are said to be particularly troublesome between the Murrumliidgec and Murray. Eaglehawks are also causing j heavy losses ; a stock owner in the West Bogan country informs us that they are now attacking his full-grown sheep. He estimates that fully 10 per cent, of hw lambs are killed each year by hawks. This he bases upon the fact- that his lambing on tho JSast Bogan is always 10 per cent, above that on the West. Wild dogs aro .particularly vicious tliis year, and as their natural prey ' — rabbits, wallabies, etc. — have been almost swept out by drought, they are cons-cquently raiding on sheep. Though tho stock returns for 1902, which have rcc?ntly been placed before Parliament, credit this State with 25,912,472 sheep, ] which does not include some 700,000 which were on agistment in other States, and which will bo re-turned in the stock returns of those States, it has to be remembered that

heavy losses occurred long after the official returns wero made. The report recently laid before the House classified the different breeds of sheep in tho State, and showed •tho total numbers of merinos to be 23,771,668. while the long-woolled sheep numbered 469,679, and cros^breds 1,671,125. The actual lambing for the whole Stale is given at the very low percentage of 23J per cent. The returns also estimate tho wool clip for 1902 at 148,095.6371b, being n decrease of over 96,000,0001b on tho pre\ious year. This decrease is also borne out by the railway returns, which show that whilst in 1902 595,000 bales were carried on the various railways of tho State, the year just closed givea the total number of bales at 431,000, showing a deorease of 161,000 bales. Taking the State generally, the prospects of the wheat crop are s-HH good, thouch rain in many places is now urgently wanted : in fact, information has reached us of several instances where young crops aro withering up for want of moisture. It is estimated that some 1,700,000 acres will this year bo put into wheat, an increase in area to last year ol about 112,000 acres, so this matter is one of great importance to the State. The returns of last season's harvest show a yield of wheat of 7.479,915 bushels— over 33 bushels per acre. There was available in February for all purposes 6,971.275 bushels, aa apparent surplus, after providing foi seed and consumption, of 1,411,275 bushels. In consequence of the amount of feed in many distriots of the State, attention is turned towards restocking, and as a consequence exeelleat prices are ruling for ewes. , Wo know of instances where 20s per head has been refused. The exports of rabbits from this State arc increasing by leaps and bounds : thousands of crates xc daily coming into Sydney, On

27th June the Oceana sailed with 5000 crates containing 120,000 frozen carcases. The southern districts furnish the chief supply of these rodents. Large cargoes of v.heat are arriving from Argentina, a shipment of 5000 tons being expected here shortly. Bp<l weather has b-sen experienced between this country aud South America, which accounts for the length of voyages of late, occupying from 90 to 100 days. " VICTORIA. July 13. We have 1-ad some intensely cold weather during the month and very hard frosts, but i that, of counse, is only to b:> expected iv ! July. In the north-west a good fall of rain would be beneficial, and a part of jGrippsland has had a veiy dry winter so far, but the major portion of the State shows pro ; , mise of a splendid season. The crops everywhere look remarkably well, and the ilallee ' country never looked better. Farmers have endeavoured to get sheep to cat down the. crops, but they arc so scaice and dear that it is difficult to obtain them. Poddy calves , are -aLso being pu^ on tho crops in some | districts, and they ars also rising considerably ;n value. A very large area has been pub under crop, and a large proportion has been drilled in with artificial manures. This system is getting a fair trial this season, and 1 all tho early-sown crops ?re very forward and stooling gut well. The chow season is now coming round, and the rani sales are near at hand. Money is none too plentiful, and probably there will be high prices for a very few shcop only, t*:o medium sheep not being likely to command good prices. Store stock of all classes arc in very keen demand, northern buyars "being practically bare of stock. All Ihe country sales are well attended, and prices are extremely firm all round. L?ncl kteps up in value, cither for purchase or rental, but now -that the northern districts have recovered from the drought, the general idea is that prices are too high for southern land. Draught stock continues to command high prices, and must now pay excellently to breed. Dairy Etock pro keenly sought for the northern pastures, but really good cows are difficult to procure. The. fesliug amongst dairymen is towards a return to tho shorthoin. If the milking strains are studied, fh'-t-class dairy cows call be produced from thii breed, and the value of the steer calves i= =-o much higher -that it pays to study the fattening side of the question as well as the richness of yield in milk. QUEENSLAND. Brisbane, July 8. Little rain has fallen during the past month, and that enly in the coastal districts and the south-cast portion of the State. So far the winder has proved vrry mild in the central aad north-^yest, with warm, bright days and bracing nights, proving very suitable for the lambings now on. In tho south sonic heavy frcets have been experienced, which liave affected the feed, though, of course, there is still plenty available for the limited nunibsr of stock. A gentleman -oho has travelled' through tho central and Jior'hern districts states that i>. veiy largo area of country between Lcngreach. Wratco, and Hughenden is m a very bnd condition. The rains which fell hero were insufficient to cause a growth of gr?=s, and for miles the ground is still absolutely bare. In stock matters there is little to report, the movements being generally on account of purchases by the various meat companies. Ross River is reported as having secured a draft from Dalgonally, <>lso 2500 from Lorraine, 2000 from Augustus Downs, 1500 from Devoncourt, and from Lawn Hill, Punjaub and Escott ot<her lots are being sent to those works. Tc the Burdekin are going 3000 head from KamiUroi, aud 1500 from Cullrlah, whilst Lakes Creek, in addition to sheep purchases, have securer! 5000 cattle from Millungera. In the fat stock market both sheep and cattlo coD-tiiiuc to realise very satisfactory price?, full-woolled shocp realising as hi^Si cs 20s 6d. and rattle bringing 23s 6d per l6T)il> drco^d weight. Amongst tlie sli&pp recently yarded were n draft of 4000 Oalrwood wethers (Warrcgo district). The sheen were February shorn, and realised as high as 20s 3d, beinsr the finest lot of fheep seen in the Brisbane yards for mouths.

"With the thinning-out of tho maisupials by drought and the Ecalper, the dog pest is triving both anc 1 cattlo men a coed d^al of trouole. The losses reported from all portions of the State are very heavy, and even rams and steers are being successfully attacked. Various associations are in course of formation amongst stock ownors with the object of checking stock stealing. Tho Kennedy Stock Owners' Association is now advertising rewards of £25 to any person giving evidence leadine to a committal for stealing, or to bainsr illeeally in possession of beef or hides, whilst £200 reward will be paid to any person giving evidence leading to a conviction for stealing.