870 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



summer level permits of irrigation by gravitation. Fodders grown. — 

 Sorghum and lucerne, the latter especially. 



Inspector Kyle, Gooramadda : — Good rains in March and April 

 have given a splendid season, prolonging the dairying operations to a 

 later pei-iod than in ordinary years. All stock healthy and in good 

 condition. As mild weather is prevailing, the lambing percentage 

 should be high, the ewes being strong, and young grass plentiful. 



Inspector J. Temple, Wodonga reports : — Grass abundant, nearly 

 all stock being fat; owing to high prices for stores owners prefer not 

 stocking, many holdings understocked. Stock all healthy; although 

 season is a mild one, the practice of rugging horses and cattle is quite 

 common. Several cases of supposed anthrax reported, but which on 

 investigation proved not to be anthrax. Crops rather backward, but 

 healthy. Little summer fodder grown. Quite a lot of hay lost through 

 carelessness of owners not building their stacks properly, the so-called 

 stacks being merely heaps into which good produce has been brought 

 to rot or discolour. Many grass paddocks leased to New South Wales 

 graziers. Quite a plague of mice this year. 



Inspector Porter, Tintaldra, reports : — Season remarkably good ; 

 all stock in first rate condition, and winter feed abundant. Ploughing 

 finished. The local mill has gristed 7,000 bushels of wheat for 1,400 

 bags of flour for farmers, and has declared a working profit. The 

 cheese factory at Walwa has been worked with satisfactory results. 

 The butter factory is handicapped by distance from mai-ket and 

 upkeep of four creameries among a small number of suppliers, as the 

 plant is capable of doing ten times the amount of work it is at present 

 doing, with but slightly increased outlay. A reaction in favour of 

 the milking type of shorthorns, as against the lighter dairying breeds, 

 is fast setting in, as graziers will not touch steers of this latter type. 

 As a result of Dr. Cherry's visit to this district, ensilage as a winter 

 fodder is receiving attention from farmers ; suitable crops are sown 

 for this purpose, and rude silos are in use of various types throughout 

 the district. Only one case of pleuro-pneumonia reported, but in 

 New South Wales, a short distance from my crossing, there were over 

 80 cases in a hospital paddock, with bad tails through using bad 

 virus. Bots have caused a lot of trouble on one estate in New South 

 Wales adjacent to my crossing; 11 blood mares succumbed. Rabbits 

 are numerous ; a canning factory is in course of erection. This will, 

 it is hoped, bring some more adequate return for moneys expended in 

 dealing with this pest than has heretofore been the case. Anthrax 

 unknown. Poultry tick unknown. 



Inspector F. R. Temple, Wahgunyah : — Grass rather scarce owing 

 to dry autumn ; splendid rains have now fallen, and grass should be 

 plentiful. Crops backward. Stock healthy. Lambing percentage 

 should be high. 



Inspector Wiltshire, Swan Hill, reports : — Dry autumn, season 

 generally good, however, nice rains having fallen and prospects of 



