922 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



Poultry and Eggs. 



Mr. Hart, in liis report, deals exhaustively with the poultry and 

 egg branch of the export trade, and here we have perhaps the most 

 startling illustration of the utility of Government supervision and 

 grading for export. It is pointed out that when, a couple of years 

 back, all the work of preparing poultiy for export was done at the 

 Government Cool Stores and the Government stamp placed thereon", 

 the trade rapidly developed. Through the cutting of prices this part 

 of the business went outside for a time, enabling exporters to pack 

 stuff which would not be passed by the Department's officers as 

 worthy of the Government stamp, resulting in the diminution of the 

 trade to vanishing point, and the absolute sacrifices of orders from 

 .abroad. All the exporters have returned to the Department again, 

 to secure the advantage of its independent supervision and stamping, 

 with the result that business connections are being renewed. 



Veal. 



A quantity of veal was shipped, and the demand is such as to 

 warrant the belief that when the country is again stocked this trade 

 can be so built up as to assume important dimensions. With in- 

 creased competition in the world's markets for dairy produce, it is 

 reassuring to know that these by-products of the dairy, pork, poultry, 

 eggs and veal yet remain to be developed, and promise a ready, 

 profitable return. 



Mutton, Lamb and Beef. 



Owing to the good season for grass, there was such a demand from 

 the noi'thern districts, and especially from New South Wales, for 

 re-stocking purposes, that the price of cattle and sheep remained so 

 abnormally high as to preclude exportation, but the condition of the 

 few sent in for export at the commencement of the season left nothing 

 to be desired. It is a peculiar fact that in the past good season there 

 was practically nothing offering for export, whilst during the pre- 

 ceding season of drought 500,000 carcases were shipped. This 

 appears at the first blush unintelligible, but the shortage of food in 

 the season before last induced stockowners to rid themselves of 

 surplus stock, in order that sufficient grass might be left to carry the 

 remainder safely through. High percentages of lamb marking are 

 reported from all over the State this season, and inquiries already 

 made indicate a good campaign in the coming spring. 



Rabbits and Hares. 



With " bunny " a check in value from 20 to 25 per cent, has been 

 experienced, the much vaunted unlimited British market being sorely 

 taxed by • the wonderful fecundity of the rabbit. For the season, 

 2,414,816 pairs of rabbits were exported from Victoria, as against 

 4,063,417 pairs for the year before, but New South Wales and 

 Tasmania having come into the business a large increase in the total 



