242 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



REPORT OF THE CHIEF INSPECTOR OF STOCK. 



,/. R. Weir. 

 Pastures. 



The absence of rain during last spring in the northern areas, and 

 the prokmged drought throughout the summer, has been a bitter 

 memory to residents in localitie^^ which, under ordinary conditions, 

 would have been able to sustain the flocks and herds upon them, from 

 which in many instances fat stock would have been forthcoming. 

 But during the past summer, in many cases, these lands were nothing 

 more than arid stretches, which seemed as thougli no grass had ever 

 grown on them. Fortunately south of the Dividing Range there was 

 a plenteous rainfall, and not only had these lands to carry large 

 quantities of stock from the northern districts of Victoria, but also 

 from Southern Riverina, the crossings of stock into Victoria along 

 the Mm-ray River having been greater during tlie past year than for 

 many years. 



in some of the northern districts, within touch hi, and irrigated 

 from the Goulburn River, lucerne was profitably grown, also amber 

 cane and sorghum. With the breaking up of the long drought and 

 the hardship the ordinary pastures had endured, in very many cases 

 the first herbage that asserted itself was of a class not only unsuited 

 for stock, but at the same time positively dangerous * for them to eat. 

 Under circumstances more fortuitous, this class of plant would not 

 have been looked at by them, but the poor famished brutes eagerly 

 cropped off anything that came up, in their anxiety to fill themselves. 

 Very much of this food was of the Euphorbia and Solanum families, 

 and as a result of their eating these plants many deaths occurred 

 amongst cattle, sheep and horses. 



Diseases. 



Pleuro-pneumo)tia. — A few isolated cases have occurred during 

 the past year, but the losses were in no case great, and all contacts 

 were quarantined and inoculated. At the time of writing so far as I 

 am aware, there is no herd in tlie State affected with it. 



Anthrax. — A few outbreaks of anthrax were recorded during; the 

 year, but m nearly every case the contagion was effected through the 

 use of Indian bone meal, of Avhich a quantity was imported into this 

 State, and which had been supplied to stock to make up for lack of 

 phosphates in the soil. The disease has been kept in check, however, 

 and by isolation, observance of sanitary precautions, and vaccination 

 of the balance of affected herds, there is every reason to believe we 

 may not have a recurrence of this trouble for some time to come. 



Gastric Trouhlcs. — These have caused the loss of quite a number 

 of animals in this State from reasons already given. At Springvale, 



