INTERCOLONIAL PASTORAL AND AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2842, 2 September 1908, Page 8

INTERCOLONIAL PASTORAL AND AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.

(Correspondents of the Pastoraliste' Review.) NEW SOUTH WALES. i Sydney, August 10. July closed with a vast improvement (at the weather conditions. The early portion of the month was characterised by art absence of any rain likely to xelievr anxiety on the part of pastoralists, but during the last week of that month a steady fall set in, and although it was far from general it gave promise of something better in the near future, and put heart into those who had 1 been for some time viewing thepastoral position with muob concern. Riverina, the district which perennially suffers from insufficient rain, was, as usual* ~ oubeide the favoured airea, but the metropolitan, Hunter, Western, and Manning districts enjoyed a downfall that ranged from 2in to 7in above normal. Since fch» • close' of July, however, and up to the time of writing, the fall has become general atf over the State, and in nranv instances ha* ' been, abundant, even Riverina .being for- ' tunate in getting sufficient to carry them. * over a very trying time. One important '. - feature of this rain is that it has arrived at the irigfat moment to ensure an excellent.

inring. Another important point is that Ihe 'mildness of the weather has conduced lo the growth of crops and pasturage. The experience many etookowners nave iiad during the past 12 months over msuffiSSrt rSSf for i£eir stock has led to some thought being bestowed upon foods other than that commonly used. It has been found that the willow tree is an mvaluable substitute for the purpose, and a move has been made towards its cultivation on lines |Eat will tend towards the prodtgHon and Maintenance of food at times when adverse conditions are against the growing of orIdinary food stuff for stock. • s The Government is being urged 1 to ulndertake a comprehensive , scheme of irrigation fin the Riverina district to minimise, as Xar as practicable, the, devastating effects of droughts which that particular district is almost always suffering from. m Some interesting figures aTe furnished by the Bureau of Statistics respecting the season's lambing. The general conditions faavo not been in any way favourable, and the result has been seriously unsatisfactory. Although the autumn and winter lambing ipver the whole State produced 8,976,600— •Viz., a percentage of IH, the adverse weather conditions, particularly in the central, southern, and western districts, were- such tfoat in all probability the markings wili not exceed 6,500,000, or about -§3 per cent, of the ewes put to the rams. This means that- the markings thia year • will very likely be about a "million below that of last year. s

VICTORIA.

Melbourne, August 11.

The rainfall during the past month has tmlj been light, but as the sky has more ' offen than not been overcast, frosts have not 4>een unduly frequent or severe. The consequence is that in most districts pastures are obtaining the full benefit of Jibe downpoar of last June and July, and grass is coming away nicely. These remarks apply more particularly to fhe Wimmera, Western, and Southern Counties, for, un- , fortunately, there are still large patches in the midlands and Gippsland where feed continues lamentably scarce. Almost every- j ' where a steady soaking- rain will now be j •welcome, provided it does not turn too cold. ' ' ' ' " ! Reports regarding the lambing are varied ! in th© extreme. "One often hears of two-.

neighbours marking 50 and 80 per cent. resps'Ctively, ami where such in the case you may be pretty sure that the man with 50 per 'cent, is eithei overstocked or has not pro-

vided food and shelter for his ewes. However, speak 'rig in general terms, it is fairly safe to say that the averages in the north and. portions of the midlands are from medium to poor; wfiiTe in the Wimmexa and west, right to the South- Australian border, they are pretty much as usual . Crop prospects are, on the whole, promising, provided always that we get further rains -during the next few weeks. The outlook for many dairy farmers, however, is not so good. A very large number of cattle were sent out of .the State during the

recent •dry spell, and then the losses among those kept was heavy in the early winter months. At the time of writing there is elinoefc a butter — and meat also — famine in Victoria, and batter is celling at 2s per lb wholesale. Chilled mutton is being brought 'rom Sydney, and -beef from Queensland, while the various live stock jnarkete are largely supplied with sheep and cattle fattened in other Stages. Still, this will not be foT long, and, in any case, the fortunate, are wise ones, who have milk and stock are reaping a rich harvest as a result of their foresight in conserving fodder. It's an ill wind which benefits nobody.

QUEENSLAND

Brisbane, August.

Th.c winter has proved extremely cold, heavy and continuous frosts being Teported from almost all pertions of the State. In he .coastal districts the sugar cane has been severely frosted, and considerable losses will result, even if the injured cane can be promptly put through the mills. " In the pastoral districts the feed » has been browned, though many graziers report that owing to the large body of grass the lower portion is still green, whilst, as a -result of the extreme cold, there has been a somewhat heavy mortality amongst the lambs. Owing the month scattered storms have fallen in the Longreach, Mattaburra, and Winton districts, the falls varying from a few points up to a^uple of inches; whilst over a large area of country in the eoutli-west, extending from Charleville to the border, and west to Thargomincfcah, light to excellent rain, was also reported. The fall at - Cun'najnulla and at 'Bafringun, on the New South Wales border, was of " about Sin, but of a lighter nature between Hungerford (160 points) and Euio (130 * points), whilst Thargomin'dah reports a general fall over that dietric averaging two indbes. i=hough as much as four and six inches were registered in 1 places. The rain was badly^ needed south of Cunnamulla, where large numbers of stock were -*n course of removal. * At the time o r writing rain, is reported to be falling over the south-eastern portion of the State, extending as far west as Roma, thenioe south to the border. This will be of immense service both to agriculturists and graziers on the Darling Downs, the dry spell hitherto existing having prevented the continuance of seeding and planting operations, besides imperilling, and in many cases absolutely ruining, the grain crop, already planted. Even with the timely aid of ibe present rain, it is doubtful whethei we shall have much of a harvest this season, but it is perhaps somewhat p*e- > mature to speak on this point. The influx of settlers from the southern States and' from New Zealand continues, and, if anything, is on the increase. The demand is mostfy lor small blocks of freehold land on the Downs, though a very feir number are making, further west and are taking up land to the north and south of the Western Railway, large areas o* •which have been lying idle these many years, neglected and contemned. Whether the low opinion in which this .country has for years been held by Queenstanders will be justified by. later events it is impossible to say; but it is hard to believe that shrewd, practical mer like Sir Samuel M'Gaughey, who personally visited the country south of Mitchell before acquiring a lease, can be fax astray. Water hitherto has been the great drawback, bm from the reports of the newcomers there are ample facilities of conserving water cheaply by overshot dams in the creeks, whilst much of the country may be, and very likely is. in the artesian basin.

— North Queensland. —

"Winter weather, and stock not doing Sell, but we are round the orner, and

happily there has been some rain to help cattle alon?. In. ihe, tablelands they had from sdeg to lsdeg of frost for 12 consecutive nights. The Downs country is not so much troubled by frost j the lambing comes along right.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Adelaide, August 8.

Splendid pastoral and agricultural rains throughout the north and - north-eastern portions of the State fell last week. These showers came most opportunely, June and July having proved less favourable to these portions of South Australia than, for the midland and southern localities. Indeed, far northern pasfcoralists were beginning to feel anxious, and were about to make arrangements for sacrificing their stock on a* more or less glutted market, or to remove them to' other, parts, which would, of course, mean, great expense. Farmers were beginning to cry out about the dry winter, but the -recent downpour, which was accompanied .by snow in several places, has saved the situation. The showers extended throughout the north-east, and over the border into the Darling districts. Although the lambing for ihe State is put down, as having been from 10 to 15 per cent, less than last year, the average has been higher in some favoured localities. Reports of the lambing on the West Coast are satisfactory, and in many of the best midland estates the average was approximately 90 per cent. >

WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Perth, August 1.

Throughout the South-Western Division | the lambing has been -good, and 1 stock are. looking well. As the summer feed lasted out unusually well, wool should show a capital growth -this season, and the graziers, notwithstanding the frosts, Are in a good position. The Far North is- experiencing another splendid season, and from Geraldton northwards and eastwards the country is said to be very good indeed. On the goldfiekfe it is questionable if there has even been a better season. Altogether, the pastoralists 'are having a fine time, and 1 despite the-, wool market, will have a, very profitable year. It is- thought that holders of cattle will have a profitable year, ar the tendency of the last two years to displace cattle by sheep has lessened the supplies considerably. and already the more sanguine holders are asking stiff prices forward. Mutton, on the other hand, is plentiful, and looks like being sheap. The area under grain for the coming season is- forecasted at ♦65.246 acres, and it is very probable that this will be found I an underestimate, as the expansion everywhere is most marked. Last year Western Australia exported wheat and flour worth, roughly, £120,000, and .hat total should— even at a lower range of values — be exceeded after this .narvest is garnered.