±±.—29

Cattle-tick. Although the tick does not show any diminution within the A area, it does not show any tendency to spread within the area known as B, and may actually be said to have decreased or almost disappeared from some districts where it was previously found. This satisfactory position indicates that the policy of spraying cattle or otherwise destroying the ticks when they first make their appearance is a good one. In Waitara district the quarantine area had to be enlarged owing to some ticks having been found on a farm immediately outside the original area. Within the area quarantined a few ticks were found during the season, but the prospects for complete eradication are hopeful. During the year a dip was erected by the Department at Mohakatino, near the northern boundary of Taranaki, and all cattle proceeding south are required to be dipped. A dip has also been erected at Waitara by the combined efforts of the settlers concerned, and all cattle leaving the quarantined area are dipped, and all other possible precautions have been taken to prevent the spread of the tick. " Bush Sickness," op. Soil-deficiency. The experimental work at Mamaku Farm has been continued during the year. The season was a trying one for stock, and consequently not altogether satisfactory from the point of view of progress made. The use of citrate of iron and ammonia by way of drenching, with the addition of molasses to the food (molasses contains iron), further confirmed the efficacy of this treatment for animals, both when showing premonitory symptoms and later, but the application of citrate of iron and ammnoia as a dressing to the hay during stacking has not yet demonstrated this method as offering any solution of the difficulty of finding a more practicable method of supplying the iron deficiency. Further work in this direction will be continued. Supplies of citrate of iron and ammonia have been made available for sale in small quantities to settlers throughout the affected district at landed cost, and arrangements have also been made for some top-dressing experiments on various properties where the same or somewhat similar trouble has been experienced. These small top-dressing demonstrations on land not previously coming under experimental top-dressing might afford valuable information in connection with tins trouble, and it is considered advisable to extend the experiments somewhat. The advice given in general may be summed up in the following instructions : Farm more highly ; get the plough in ; compact the soil; grow plenty of winter feed, and save plenty of hay. Subdivide into smaller paddocks and keep the feed eaten short. Top-dress with phosphates containing iron as frequently as is the practice in the Waikato. Treat the stock well, especially in the matter of watersupply. Use molasses freely in the feeding of stock, especially in rearing young stock. Regard molasses as a preventive, but not as a cure. When an animal once shows signs of going back owing to bush sickness give iron-ammonium citrate as supplied by the Mamaku Farm, and by the Stock Inspectors at Rotorua and Tauranga, at cost price to bona jide farmers. Buy any stock from districts remote from the pumice land and under conditions which ensure that they are free from disease or parasitic infection. The lack of the mineral elements is known to predispose an animal to other diseases and ailments, which when introduced on to a farm on sick country run a rapid course in the stock. Hematuria. A trouble affecting cattle which has been existent on an area of cleared and partially cleared land on the west coast of the South Island was made the subject of investigation late in the year by Mr. J. Kerrigan, M.R.C.V.S., District Superintendent, Christchurch, and is considered by him to be that form of chronic hajmaturia studied and described by Bowhill and Hadwen in British Columbia, and by other investigators on the Continent. The matter is being further gone into, and the examination of specimens from typical cases is being completed. A report on the matter will be prepared by Mr. Kerrigan and submitted for publication in the Department's Journal. Live-stock Statistics. Sheep. —The number of sheep as shown by the returns collected on 30th April, 1925, again indicated an improved position, an increase of 772,179 sheep being recorded, making the total 24,547,955. The most satisfactory feature in the return, as shown in the table hereunder is an increase of 639,126 in the number of breeding-ewes. As indicating the rapid change that is taking place to meet the altered conditions in regard to our export industry, it is interesting to note that since April, 1922, the increase in breeding-ewes has been 1,219,169, while the total increase under all headings is 2,325,696, of which 813,263 were lambs. The figures for the past five years are shown in the table hereunder : —-

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- i . Stud and Flock Year. Rams (Two 1 ooth j Breeding-ewes, j Other Sheep. ; Lambs. j Total, and over). 1921 .. .. 322,144 12,147,788 4,980,618 5,834,481 23,285,031 1922 .. .. 322,072 12,496,054 3,687,672 5,716,461 22,222,259 1923 .. .. 330,055 13,063,003 3,369,559 6,318,822 23,081,439 1924 .. .. 322,814 13,076,097 3,853.482 6.513,386 23,775,776 1925 .. .. 355,579 13,715,223 3,947,429 6,529,724 24,547,955