INTERCOLONIAL AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 8

INTERCOLONIAL AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

(From Correspondents of 'he Pastoralists' Review for August.) KEW SOUTH WALES. Sydney, August 10. Though W3 are now in the midst of winter the" weather m Sydney and in the coastal districts is as balmy as spring. Inland, however, good rains have fallen, and heavy frosts have been experienced. Rivtvs arc all at a good level, tanks and dams are well nlle:l, and feed is plentiful. The only discordant notes sounded in pastoral circles are in connection with the attacks of blowfly, the prevalence of footrot, the increase of rabbits, the depredations of foxes among the young lambs, and tins sudden cold snaps, which had) a bad J effect od Ihe newly-shorn sheep in the j north. Taking- these ills, individually, many pastoralists hold the belief that the large number of poisoned rabbit carcases lying about the country are responsible for the increase of the fly pest, and this is very feasible. Asain, the sheep are, nov^ more densely

] covered, which no doubt explains the diffic ulty experienced i" warding off the at> tacks. Where large flocks are concerned, the trouble of mustering and crutclnng ev.es and wcancrs every few weeks is very considerable, but it is done nearly everywhere. S'uvo men assert that they waid off the attacks of flyblow by using poisonous dipping preparations. The report of the StocK Department on the autumn, lambing states that the probable markings will exceed 90 per cent, of the lambs bom, which will represent 73 per cent, of the ewes bred from. Individual leports come in of very ) igh i-ercontagcs The best results were obtained in the rorrh-westersi slopes where out of 329,000 'lambs no le«s than 98 per cent, will probably be marked. This district was closely followed by Oential Tableland with 88 per oent. and" Rive rina with 83 per cent., but in these cases, fo various causes, the mor-i tality was greater. The report also states that about 6,300,000 ewes hays been reserved for the spring lambing, t-o that, after making allowances for ewes either too old or otherwise unsuitable for breeding purposes, it would appear that between five and six millions will be available for the next lambing. The shearing season is once more upon us, and tho hum of machines can be heard in ncai'ly all the northern r-heds The woifc will now gradually work south, and aboufc the end of November or early in December the latest t>heds in South Monaro generally cut out. "What shearing is taking place in the Riverina is chiefly of 6tud sheep. Reports of the new clip are most satisfactory, and It is eaid to be well-grown, without a. break, and will fchow a good average per feheep. La^t year the 5,960,078 lambs them averaged 21b Toz, and the 25,844,69' V sheep averaged a weight per head of 61b 15^oz. The number of bales of wool exported, from this State during July was 8397, against 7408, but from these figures there are to be substraeted the transhipments from Queensland, whirih leaves the exporfe of New South Wales-grown wool at 5212 bales, as agahvst 5654 bales last year. Business in store and fat stock is now becoming more brisk, and in the northern districts large sales off the shears are reported at 12s 6d for two-tooth wetOiers down to 10s 6d. Dealers from Melbourne and Broken Hill have been buying a large number of fat cattle out west. Ample supplies of sheep have been forward at Homebush during the month, and! prices have been well maintained. Buyers hae b&en in the market for Melbourne, Adelaide, and West Australia, and a new buyer came in for export purposes to England. Competition, materially aided by the Sydney Meat Preserving Gomuaivw (Limited), has well maintained the values for export sheep during the latter part of the month. Best light beef is now quoted at 23s tof 24s per 1001b. and heavy beef 21s to 225. The exports of frozen meat from thai State during the month of July totalled about 27,225 carcases of mutton and lamb [ and 480 quarters of beef. The export for the corresponding month of Jasfc year amounted to 15,199 carcases of mutton and! lamb, and 1072 quai'ters of beef. Several seifciors in the Tenterfield di3tiiot intend going in for mohair-growing. A number of Angora goats have already been imported. Air A. J. M'Donald, of Burra. near Queanbeyan, has just received fiom London the returns for a small cons.gnment of mohair from Angora goats bred I on his cstazo, which averaged is Id per Some cattle recently died at Muswellbrork through eating a plant of the Honeria species, known as poison culic. The, mortality amounted to 20 per cent. The eattl© died quickly, the weed being- very malignant. The prices ruling to-day for wheat and its products and tliose ruling 12 months ago are:-" 1905. 1904. Wheat, per bushel -.. £0 & 3 £0 3 5J Flour, per ton ..800 7 15 0 Pollard, per bushel „0 0 6] 0 0 10£ Bran, psr bushel .. 00 6J 00 9£ A year earlier the pric&s .?ere : — Wheat, 5s Id per bushel; flour, £12 p«r ton; pollard, 10£ d per bushel ; bran, 9£d per bushel. The following ai-e the principal articles