892 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



It may be interesting to learn that in Britain in 1003 there were 

 11,408,560 cattle and 29,658,840 sheep, and that in the same year thex-e 

 were consumed in the United Kingdom, 665,679 tons beef and veal and 

 306,241 tons mutton and lamb, the products of that country. There 

 were also imported during the year for food purposes 622,246 live 

 cattle and 354,241 live sheep ; 154,202 tons of chilled meat from 

 America and the continent, and 254,608 tons of frozen meat from 

 Australia, New Zealand and the Argentine. Of the 254,608 tons, 

 12,946 arrived from Australia ; 109,763 from New Zealand, and 

 131,899 from the Argentine. Expressed in carcases the Australian 

 shipment represented 213,880 carcases of mutton and 264,157 carcases 

 of lamb, of which Victoria sent 87,104 carcases of mutton and 

 146,400 carcases of lamb. New Zealand sent 2,426,081 carcases 

 of mutton and 2,157,679 carcases of lamb. In 1903, 2,652,570 lambs 

 and sheep were slaughtered in Victoria for trade purposes, and their 

 value would be something like £1,600,000. In addition the wool clip 

 was valued at about £1,950,000. In the same year 398,776 cattle and 

 36,508 calves having a value of about £1,180,000 ; and 164,745 pigs 

 valued at £450,000 were also slaughtered. It is reckoned that there 

 were 515,179 dairy cows in the State and that they yielded something 

 like 173,224,000 gallons of milk having a value of about £3,609,000. 

 The weight of butter exported was 13,470 tons, valued £1,252,649, 

 and in addition 5S4f tons of milk (fresh, preserved, and concentrated), 

 valued at £26,538, and 808 tons cheese valued at £50,773 were also 

 exported. 



Poultry Ixdustry. 



The export of frozen and canned poultry now that South Africa is 

 not making inquiries for these commodities has received a set back. 

 During the South African war, when the whole country was con- 

 vulsed, and when its internal trade and agriculture languished, it was 

 to be expected that attention would be turned to other markets of the 

 world whence supplies could be drawn. Now that peace prevails and 

 the farmers of that extensive country have gone back to their ordinary 

 pursuits, it is not likely that in a country where poultry thrive with- 

 out especial care, we can again look for markets. Russia, the United 

 States, and Canada pour annually enormous quantities of poultry and 

 eggs into Great Britain, and we, who are separated from the English 

 markets by half the circumference of the globe, cannot hope to con- 

 tend with nations having more favourable geographical situations in 

 supplying Britain cheaply enough with either eggs oy poultry. The 

 poultry industry of the State last year was valued at £2,094,434. 



Rabbit Industry. 



Rabbits, according to reports, are proving a great pest in New 

 South Wales. It is declared that land owners in that State have had 

 to abandon their properties on account of their depredations. The 

 government of that State has been approached and asked to take 

 steps to abate the evil. Some idea of what a scourge they can 

 become, if their development is allowed to go unchecked, can be 



