SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Adelaide, May 10.

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 20

SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Adelaide, May 10.

This State cn.jovccl a splendid downpour of ruin about the middle of April. The fall was steady, and lasted for several days, and from l£in to 2in were registered as most of the agricultural ccnties. Thesa

showers saved the situation for stock owners and farmers. February and March proved exceptionally dry months, and as there had ■beesr* an entire absence of thunderstorms in midsummer, water supplies were getting short, the grass was dry, and the grow. 1"*1 "* was too hard to permit of cultivation. With lambing close at hand the outlook was anything but encouraging for sheep farmers, •whilst wheat growers were becoming restive under their enforoe'd idleness. The darkest hour was once more that before the dawn, end one of the best soaking rains for many years was experienced just when producers were despairing of the future. During the next fortnight, the weather was dry; to hot, and during the end of last week it looked as if summer had returned. On the 7th inst., however, a very welcome change set in, and the heaviest rams for at least 12 years fell m the northern agricultural districts. At "Wilmington the fall was' over 4in, and several stations report Sin, and quite a number 2in and lin. There will now be an abundant water supply, and the soaking given to the land wiH enable farmers to make good progress with their seeding operations. Lambing is now pretty general, and although the green grass is short, it is growing rapidly. It is confidently expected that the drop this year will be a good percentage, though it is hardly likely to be so uniformly high as in 1904, when, however, it was phenomenal. •The official estimate-of the wheat and hay harvest -was issued a fortnight ago The following is a comparison of the estimate mad© by the Register in February and the Government figures: — Acreage sown: Regs- - fer, 2120,000 acres; Government, 2,109,783. Hay and failure: Register, 350,000 acres; Government,- 381,551. Reaped for wheat: Register, 1,770,000 acres; Government, " 1,728,232 acres. Average per acre reaped : R-egister, 7 bushels 451b; Government, 6.96 bushels. Total production: Register, 13,717,500 bushels.; Government, 12,023,172 bushels. Shipments of grain have been going forward to Europe all the year, and a large quantity has already been sent away. Mr John Melrose, of Ulooloo, who was the first to import the Dorset horn breed of sheep to Australia, has been making additions to his dairy breed. The purchase consists of six cows and two bulls,- and were selected from the milking strain of shorthorns - bred by Mr Richard White.church, of Poplar Vale, Victoria. The result of the year's operations of the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural {Society of South Australia has been most Satisfactory. A profit of £1003 19s 2d was made on the September show, and of £1 18s 6d on the March show. The membership has been well maintained, and has, ■with the addition of the Government grant of £500, enabled the society to pay (and still show 1 a credit balance of £628 4s 7d) the heavy charges connected with the working of the society, such as office expenditure, rent paid to the Government, and an outlay of £1432 in permanent improvements on the grounds — viz., a new grand stand, horse boxes, - and wine kiosk. The Premier has stated that the policy of the Government in advancing wire nettine to outside pastoral lessees has been justified by results. Principal and interest are being met on due dates, and there are practically no arrears. A vigorous system of wire netting against vermin has been introduced. In this way the pastoral country Is being steadily improved, and the carrying capacity made more certain. The outlook generally for lessees is brighter than it has been for many years.