INTERCOLONIAL AGRICALTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2651, 4 January 1905, Page 8

INTERCOLONIAL AGRICALTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

(From correspondents of the Pastoralists' Review for December.) NEW SOUTH WALES. Sydney, December 10. From ihe wheatgrowers' standpoint the year 190 V has been the most extraordinary on record, and after all the hopes and fears engendered by the vagaries of the season, it seems that the harvest will eventually prove disappointing. Encouraged by success last year, large areas were put under crop during the most unsuitable weather which last March afforded. There was hardly any growth during the period when wheat crops generally become established, and by the middle of September nearly all hope of a harvest was abandoned. October, however, brought good soaking rains that put an entirely new face on the matter, and the growth of crops being rapid, hopes of good average yields seemed amply justified. . The crisis; was really reached iast month, when all that' was required were moderate temperatures and a little rain, but -as regards <■ these November entirely failed,, and the anxieties of the season have now given" place to more or less oer.tainties^Vof a' poor and disappointing . harvest. '"'./.' ' , The 'total amount, of .. rainfall" for" the, month just ended -was 'much below, the aye r .rage,' in the majority of cases varying from •50 to 100 per cent, below. Only a few isolated places, on .'the northern and southern highlands,' had\q'uantities'-which\in any way exceeded the monthly average. And to aggravate, matters, hot, drying winds checked the growth of crops and "blanched and shrivelled the grain. In the great wheat-growing areas round We-lling--ton and Narromine " harvesting- has already commenced, and crops which look good for 12 to 14 bushels are working out at 9 to 10 bushels .per acre. Further south and in the Riverina prospects -are a little better, and fair returns may be expected, and in the northern districts as much as 20 and 22 bushels per acre have been recorded. These, however, are counterbalanced by reports of crops abandoned, being cut for hay, or stripping but six to eight bushels per acre. Of course, it is early to estimate a general average for the State, but certainly indications ' a«3 not better than 10 to 12 bushels. So" far labour has been plentiful, . and the work of harvesting has bean unchecked by weather. A ,feature of the season is the large number of -combined" harvesters which have been sent up country, chiefly from Victoria, and the general use of these, must displace at great deal of manual labour. So far the hay crops cut are riot very encouraging; insufficient rain- and depredations of rabbits " provide the chief .explanation. The latter are getting more t and more in evidence, and are advancing oin ,the Macleay and coastaFdistricts," where; oh account "of tick's, It" was. .thought they could notiliva.. _ < " - *'•,--„'_ ■" Grass' throughout. the country, is , now very ' dryland, as a- consequence bush fires .are' .once, again^a serious .menace;, to the, p'eaoe of- stock owners." \ Already numerous, fires haveljeen xeported, ana some- are still raging.^ , "Thousand's," of acres of- "grass and drops* have been btirnfc, and in several ih- 1 stances buildings ' and sheeip have "been- destroyed. Rain is therefore badly , needed. . Further troubles are being experienced by swarms of caterpillars in lucerne and potato' crops, and by ravages of a- species of bot.fly among the sheep. ' v _Grass seed, " as is usuab- at this time of -the year, is 'also causing much trouble" among the flocks. ' After this somewhat- doleful chronicle of poor, harvest, " bush fires, rabbits-, botfly, a|nd grass seed, it is good, to be able to report a brighter side of the season. Shearing is about over, opei*ations being now confined to late slieds in the southern and Monaro districts. The clip " has justified the most sanguine -anticipations and exoeLlent prices have been obtained. Wool has been coming down in large quantities, so that the amount carried by the l railways during the present season now - stands t at 438,016 bales, an increase of 130,313 bales on the corresponding season of last year. This means," in round numbers, that the value of the wool carried .on the railways this year up to date is £1,300,000 more than for last year. This is to a large, extent accounted for -by the long spell of- dry wea 7 ther. Arrivals are now falling .'off, and -there will ift> doubt "be" a further- slackening „after Christmas. In regard to sales, 280,339' .bales./have^passedi under, the hammer since July 1-, , which' is T an' increase on -the corresponding period of Jast year of 100,864. bales. "In regard! to oversea export, the' total for. the first, five.; months of"' the, current wool ..year amounts to 249,196 balesr-aii increase' of 96,429 bales, on the corresponding period of last year. Wool buyers in the local market are operating with decided freedom on -the. large catalogues offered, and prices . are. firmer,- and. lamb -wool has- risen.Stock are in good condition throughout the country, and the fat stock market has been 'well supplied, though values are too high for export purposes: There has been a large demand for lambs suitable for free-z-mg, - and there are indications that the breeding of lambs for export will become mor© prominent in the suitable districts of this State. There is a laige, unsatisfied demand for ewes off shears, which command a ready sale at from 11s to 13s. During? November our meat- exportsamounted to 82,651 carcases mutton and J55.614 carcases of lamb, as compared with 78,179 carcases mutton and 24,408 ' carcase's lamb for, last month, and 70,927 caratses mutton and 7476 carcases- lamb during the corresponding -period- of last -year. Th© total -exports for tfee year 1904 .' to date amount to 298,642 "carcases mutton and) 55,880 carcases lamb, as" compared with 274,382 carcases, mutton and 13,271 carcase lamb for 1903, and 427,100 carcases mutton and 29,818 carcases lamb for 1902. Though Homebush market has been well supplied with cattle, our beef export trade has gone from us entirely. This is accounted for by the fact that prices are ruling from 20s to 21s per 1001b, which- is considerably above export value. The majority of supplies come from Queensland, but fair numbers come from the northern portions of this State*. The prices ruling to-day for wheat and it's products compared) with those ruling 12 niQnfchs afeo are:— , Wheat, per bushel ..£0 2 11| £0 34| Flour, per ton .... 810 0 810 0 Pollard, per' bushel .. 0 0 !)£ 0 0 9 Bran, per bushel „ 0 0 6£ 0 0 7 A year earlier prices were:— Wheat 6s 3d, flour £12, bran Is 9Ad, and pollartf la lUd.

The following is a return of the principal exports from January 1 to the end of November: — November, First 11 months, 1904. -1904. Wool, bales .. .. 115,334 .. 430,630 Skins, pkgs. .. 2,098 .. 12,302 Hides, No 30,234 .. 72,960 I Tallow, casks .. 2,936 .. 25,141 Leather, pkgs. .. 643 .. 7,084 Preserved meats, cases . . .. 3,594 .. 67,712 Frozen mutton, carcases .. . 82,651 .. 342,364 Frozen beef, pieces — ..• 2,903 Horns, No. .. . 64,981 .. 896,218 Wheat, bushels .. 199,542 „ 8,529,351 VICTORIA. Melbourne, December 11. Generally speaking, the past month has been favourable to the pastoral and agricultural interests, although troubles have been felt in various districts. Sheep have sold remarkably well in every district. Breeding ewes and fattening wethers are keenly sought after, and the demand for good store lambs is also brisk. Cattle have declined heavily all round. Prices for fat cattle have weakened so considerably that a corresponding fall in stores was inevitable, and though -dairy sorts and young growing cattle have maintained , their value fairly well, there Has been 'a ..heavy drop in fattening cattle of all classes. -Wool and sheepskins have been very keenly competed foi, and, that demand "has been reflected in the sheep market. * Wheat has also recovered in "sympathy with a firm tone displayed h the Condon and. other, markets, so "that the prospects of a ' continuance of - eplendid'' payable", prices' for V.the. the staples are distinctly good. ."The harvest will be a fairly good_one.- . With exceptionally, good ' returns in the butter t industry and .good all-round prices, land • might be expected to sell readily, but" at' present very ' few properties are changing hands^ arid in particular large" holdings . are very difficult to dispose of. It is only too evident that investors are afraid to purchase large estates whilst legislation - bears so hardly on. producer, and its socialistic character is haying a marked .effect on lan? values. With good prices all round and a fairly large output, business in the centres should show increased animation, but a feeling of dulness is. still^apparent. Pure stock are in very good request,' notably Lincoln rams, which, owing to many breeders reducing their flocks, are extremely difficult to procure. AH good animals get their turn in time, and Lincolns, though so long neglected, now realise double the prices obtainable three seasons- back. ' The wheat harvest; apparently," will , not be up to the expectations of Mr M'Lean, the Government. Statist: As reported in this letter last - month, he anticiDated a yield of over 21,000,000 .bushels for* this State, " but good authorities' now place the. crop at anything between 16,000,000- and 19,000,000" bushelsr The email area of grain already harvested -and the prospects of the ripening crops- , indicate. ,-this deficiency. - The: wheat yield last' year' was 1 23,500,000 bushels. ~ ■ Bus!? 1 -.fires ara ''already, reported - from several "districts- throughout-the. country. -At .South Brighton, a' few miles frqn\ Horsham, -.a" fire broke' out, and ' before .lit" could be .--checked some 500 acres of grass countryiweredestroyed,,. principally belonging to surrounding farmers*. • JL,-f \- , — ', v"'. ; <"•• QUEENSLAND.',- I ', „' " -' J _ Brisbane; • December 8- - ,November has proved itself a disappointing month in the matter of rainfall, particularly so as it has been characterised -by excessively^.hot weather, accompanied with scorching winda) which have played havoo 'with, feed arid water throughout all the districts of- the State. As -a bush fires' 1 have been prevalent, particularly in the St. George district. - - ' , In the agricultural districts' a few slight storms have occurred, which, while benev fiting 1 the maize and Jate wheat crops, have not been sufficiently heavy to materially .injure. thG ripened grain, and harvesting is progress practically throughout the Downs. The yield would: appear to be lighter than last year, but- from the samples to hand the quality appears to be much better. Millers •do not appear to be at all anxious to " operate -in the aliction room, though they ■> are. willing to" 'do business on a small scale by private treaty, and parcels have changed ; hands at from 3s to 3s 3d. - - ~ j The stock market generally „is inactive, | and values remain *at the level previously j advised: Old ewes in lamb can be got off - shears at Bs, .whilst mixed weaners are easily obtainable at "iOs 6d. v Notwithstanding this," ■transactions are., 1 not- numerous,, but withgobd rain and reduoed-prices business- should', assume a , snore, .healthy.- tone. ,, t Next,.year should, see some. large "lines change hands, the present indications being that some -big lots of sheep will be placed .in the market/ The prices^ for' fat "sheep, continue 'firm; as a result, to some extent, of- the operations of the Redbank meat works-, who are buying sheep *for treatment. It is said 1 " some 50,000 to 60,000 sheep have been secured for thes© works. j Ihe dairying industry is forging ahead J at a great rate, the export -of butter increasing very materially every "month. The Sophocles, which left Brisbane last, week, carried over 14,000 boxes of . butter, - this being a record cargo, from Brisbane, whilst -in addition a brisk business "is being done for local consumption. Shipments of butter j for West Australia have now ceased, but I there seems to' be r steady demand for Queensland cheese of good brand. A most successful sale was held in Briebane on November 12, when upwards of 12,000 bales of wool were offered to a large attendance of buyers. The seleotion of wools offered comprieed clips from all 4;he wool-growing districts of the -State, .-and provoked keen competition, the prices realised showing a substantial rise as compared with the previous sales. showing the increase in wool production - and the increasing favour in which the local sales are held, it may be mentioned that the number of bales sold here during the period July to November this year was 19,475 bales, as compared with BQ7I bales for the same ! period last year. x The Income Tax Act has now passed the Legislative Council, and is about to receive the _ assent of the Lieutenant-Governor. | During its passage through the Council, that body took advantage of one of their privi- ' leges and ordered the Commissioner for | Income Tax (Mr Hughes) to attend at the i bar of the House for the purpose of furnishing an explanation as to how he proposed to deal with th© natural increase of stock. The Commissioner's explanations were accepted by the Council, and the bill passed without amendment. Regarding the recent decision of the t Supreme Court that natural increase of stock

could not be considered: as income, Mi Kidston declines to state what step* the Government propose to take in the matter of making refunds to those pastoralists who lodged! notice of their objection to iJie Commissioner's assessment including natural increase as income. It is more than probable that an attempt will be made to nullify the court's decision by claiming that the deductions made by pastoralists in 1903 on account of losses of stock in 1902 should not be allowed. An announcement as to the- intentions of tha Government is looked forward to with interest, as it is understood a sum of a,bouh £20,000 is involved in the decision of the Supreme Court. As an instance of the rapid increase of sheep in Central Queensland, Rodney Downs had 5000 sheep left last year; they bought 8000 lambing ewes at 22s 6d each, and this year they shore 22,000, averaging 22 bales 'per 1000, one lot of IS months' wool going 50 bales pea 1000. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Adelaide, December 10. In a general sense the weather during tha past month rn^y fairly' be described as having been from the points of ■, view of the paitoralist, the farmer, and the dairyman. There are- some ■ localities," . more particularly .in the dairying- districts, where, a little rain" would have^ been welcome, but heavy, showers at r this iime\of the yeav do more harm than good, and_ the fine" moderately warm days "with 'COoF nights that .characterised the end of November, and as' far as we have- gone in December, have met the wishes of most producers. In, the -pastoral country the edible bushes ' and . grasses have come on well as a result of the Oetober-Novembei showers, and the condition- of affairs out back is better than for many years past. There is a fair supply' of water^ and feed is abundant eyerywhere. - It is not-'often- that stock"ownefs -have upon ■ the summer months with the outlook so favourable as it is _a£ the present time. ■ ~ ' Haymakings operations hay© been com- ■ pleted, and reaping is now well under way throughout most of .the agricultural .dis-. tricts. The crops, which received a" set back owing to unfavourable weather experienced in September, made a wonderful recovery under the influence of good Is.ins in October, and it is now confidently expected that the grain yield will be well up to the average. Rough estimates givo the total production at approximately 14million bushels for the whole of the State, or a slight increase on the return o£ the previous year's harvest. ' 'Producers generally have cause for gratitude, for most, of them are able to lcdk back over the year and regard it as amongst the most profitable the, history of this State/ The wool clip was ah excellent one, .averaging probably at least lib of wool per sheep more 'than last ,year,, with.,.- prices "ona fair level. The lambing^for the State -^averaged about 90 per cent., and an excel-— lent .export trade, has been -conducted, lamb '■„ growers getting from 10s to 15s for "animals a few months old, that have cost .them ne-xt -to nothing. "• It- looks now as if the "wheat average for. the State' will be r approximately , eight bushels per acre, with prices higher. '- than" they" were a year. ago. .. If ,we take ..'these three commodities— wool, lambs, and- , wheat — -and turn .the total production of the> j ■• St="te into cash, it represents, a.- very largo--' sum, of inojaey^the whole -of '.which -will 'sooner or later find its ,wi.y into., the pockets . of^ the --producers, -.and- ultimately into cir- ~ • oblation' ',''•_. Shearing is practically over, only one or two laite sheds .in the south-east having- to cut out. The work this ' year was proceeded with expeditiously ami without the ' sl : crhtest" trouble having been ' experienced. The- uniformly x dory weathei not jonly facilitated operations, but prevented recurrences of disputes' concerning wet sheep, but there was a general' tendency as well on th-f- part of all concerned' to "preserve amicabk relations, ' with a. result that the olip was taken, off 1 in better- condition and in lest time than usual. ' -The lamb export trade has beei continued s vigorously during the past four weeks, and it is_ expected' that the total exports will approximate' closely to 200,000 carcases. The steamer Nairnshire established aj record by taking in no -less than , 50,0G0 carcases from South Australia, this being, the larerest "shipment ever made" in one vessel. The- quality of the lambs has , been, favourably commented upon by ex- -' parts, -New Zealand visitor expressin. the opinion that he saw very little difference / between the best South Australian lambs and the Canterbury article. Much - ■_ mors attention" is being .devoted, to quality; an<l-' breeders appear to-" bt determined- -to • extend what is proving to be a very profit•able-"- incfiistry. - South Australia started exporting' lambs in 1£96, when 1751 carcases - shipped. -In 1897 exports were 10,606 carcases ; in 1898-9, -39,525;' 1899-1900; ' 91,314; 1900-1, 101.719; 1901-2, -69,302; 1902-3, 104-.639; 1903-4-, 158,806; and this season (estimated) 200.000 carcases. 1 . Foreignv buyers- have been .very . complimentary to South Australian wool grower.? this season on account of the improved classing and general "-get-up" of the wools. Considerable attention has been devoted in I this State during recent years to wool-class-ing, and a great deal of credit is due to" . Mr Jeffrey, the expert of fine Adelaide .School of Mines. -• The rabbit .plague is as troublesome in our outsidie pastoral areas as it appears to ibe in othe-r States. The plentiful supply of feed and water all over the country has - enabled the rabbits to breed rapidly, with the . result that they are in swarms everywhere. In tha settled districts where the holdings are ' small the rodents are easily checked.Farinerq in* this State have earned a re- ■ putation .for keeping up to date in the inatfcer of agricultural machinery. They haive, been the first in Australia to employ implements that are now in common us© all over the world. The latest "fancy" is the "combined harvester," and the assertion is made that the ordinary reaper is doomed! to extinction. A large* number of harvesters are now at work all over tha" State, and the practice is, to keep a machine working full- time all day by means of a frequent change of teams. One South Australian farmer, however,.- determined to push ahead with his harvesting, has had lamps fixed to his harvesters, and continues work throughout, the night His orops are yielding from 15 to 16 bushels to* the acre. The local auctions continue to be well patronised. Altogether, 70,199 bales hay« been offered, and 65,684 sold, as compared with 58,907 bales offered and' 51,050 bales cold for the same period in 1903. TASMANIA. Launceston, December 10. i Taenianian farmers and pastoralists are

puzzled over the season. A day of warm weather is often followed by several colcl ones, and when constant high winds are jfdded to the general topsy-turvydom, the "atmospheric conditions may be described as the reverse of favourable. Wragge "predicted it all ere he quitted Australasias in fact, some people declare that it was his "final -curse on a -country which failed to" I appreciate him. The oauee is attributed to ! sun-spots and loose Antartic ice conjointly, i We have had snow on the uplancte late in ! November, an unusual occurrence. Crops as .a role are not flourishing, but the pasture, all/ thing* considered, is fairly good. .Tasmania is behind in the conduct of her ■Agricultural Department. There is a dual control — the Minister "of "Agriculture the- Council of Agriculture — and * -between the jtwo the work -of the experts is being considerably hampered." The dairy instructor, -for instance, is fettered " by" the redtapeism of the council," and- cannot' get to work in the earnest .fashion a man of his capability -would wish' for: ' It is rumoured that since our present Minister of Agriculture — Mr Hean, ,a level-headed business man — took office he has become convinced that the Council of -Agriculture is an/ unnecessary institution. Probably ' the next session of, Parliament ..will see it wiped out -of existence. ' " . . Fed&ration -is •gradually , knocking- the Tasmanian cereal .grower' "back, 'arid, as -a.consequence the raising-. oJ| fat lambs, chiefly,, for- export purposes,', is'rreoeiving a . considerable amount af attention.. Those sheep, men who have^gone .•systematically -into thebreeding of such -steel? do "not., hesitate to declare that there is, money in the business. This season 'Mr George E. P,iesse ? .of side, Bridgewater, has - alfeady^disposeck of over r3oo'r 300' fat lambs at an. average of 16e per head. Facts like these are causing farmers to ponder, and depart from the beaten track of cereals or potatoes. Daring the" week at the' usual stock sales lamb\ brought 16s 3d to l_0s; crossbred sheep, 25s 7d to 15s 3d; .merinos, 16s 6oV to 13s; steers, £11 12s 6d to £9; fat'calves,£2 10s to £2; cows-and heifers, £9 to £4 10s; spring bullocks, £12 7s 6d to £11 17s 6d. Beef brought- 32s : per 1001b; mutton 4|d j>er lb. :- . ■ Muoellaueous items: — Dairying is going ahead in Tasmania, and 'butter is ' being exported freely. — A consignment of 20 specially selected ' Shropshire sheep is on its •way from Scotland to; Hobart.— Last -week 397 sheep were landed' in Launceston from Melbourne.— =-Potato v farmers are hoping for high prices- next season. The Tasmanian crop, however, is not yerjy promising. — ' New South Wale 3is stili .sending shipments, .of horses to Tasmania. These generally <come to the order *of speculators. — A. season of drought has "bfeen experienced on "'the east coast of -Tasmania. — iSPorty acres of laud' have -been planted in flax "for expert mental' purposes. — The wool ' clip in the north-western "districts,^ "including Longford, is reported as gctod^ itf the" midlands fairly good, in other parts patchy. — In-many parts of • This- State/wheat oat' crops 'have bad to be resown, owing, tq^'the' 'backward-^ Tiess'of- theeeasoffif— The aiteinpt<to include farm labourers in the' Arbitration .Bill was 1 * resented -here j -Messrs O'MaHey. and 'Sjarrerj " xrho vbted ""for the ■ clause; t have- ;'mcuf red," deep -idisfavour. — Merino breeders eannoj? bo^et "a large percentage' of- ' lambs this eeason.' The .state of the grass . in the •utumn gave rise to. liver xofc, fluke, .etc.*, and the flocks suffered in some instance severely. The cold, boisterous weather ; lat'er on, when 4he lambs were in their. weakest stage, killed oft many. Crossbred- lambing this season has been -on the" whole satisfactory, • much more so than the meriripl — Efforts~are v beirig made to bring" in a -legislative measure 1 making inspection of products intended for export c6mpuTsory;-^Prope'rSes in the estate" of the'late, James Reid'Scott were offered for sale at Launoeston th' 6 week^ Bidding was notbrik, and- many lots were passed sn. a farm of "142, acres, was purchased for £2950, -and "Hollymont.'V 163 •ores,' 'went'- at £14 lOs/per acre. ?The lesult-.of the sale shows that the cry raised lately to cut, up the big estates was pre--mature. - ' -