Agriculture and the War. 69 



grant exemptions in certain cases of compulsory dipping owing- to lack 

 of material. Every effort was made to secure supplies oversea and 

 freightage for same, but the country's requirements could not 

 adequately be met and the situation became serious. Relief was 

 obtained eventually by the establishment of a local factory, which 

 commenced the manufacture of arsenite of soda for sale at a reasonble 

 price. As fal' as can be seen this factory, together with an easier 

 situation overseas, was meeting the local demand and no fear of 

 dearth of the article is now anticipated. 



Lime and sulphur, largely used in the preparation of sheep dip, 

 were also difficult to obtain and prices ruled very high, so that farmers 

 curtailed dipping as much as possible. Prices at tlie end of 1919 were 

 still high, but supplies appeared to be sufficient for immediate require- 

 ments and there was no apprehension of a dearth. 



It is likely that live stock were affected by a scarcity of dipping 

 materials — to what extent cannot be judged — but no marked set-back 

 in animal husbandry has resulted, and the position was very near to 

 normal at the close of 1919 so far as supplies were concerned. 



Agricultural Seed. 



At the outbreak of war the Union had progressed far in the matter 

 of producing its seed requirements, but it was still necessary to import 

 certain seeds such as potato, mangold, swede, turnip, cauliflower, 

 vetch, etc. Supplies ran low as a couvsequence of the war and the Agri- 

 cultural Department was approached by seedsmen in regard thereto. 

 While the importation of seed from oversea was disturbed, consign- 

 ments continued to reach the country, and although difficulty in 

 obtaining supplies and the high price of seed must naturally have 

 had a retarding influence, there is no evidence that develop- 

 ment was reduced in any marked degree on this account. On the 

 other hand, the growth of seed to meet local requirements was greatly 

 stimulated, and the Union's locally grown seed now compares favour- 

 ably with that of other countries. So far as could be seen the position 

 of overseas' seed supply was easy at the end of the year and no hard- 

 ships through scarcity were known. 



Other Materials. 



The price of various materials for spraying fruit trees, etc., 

 rose considerably and cases of difficulty in obtaining supplies w^ere 

 reported, but generally there was, and is, no marked shortage as a 

 result of the war, and in this respect no set-back to agriculture 

 occurred. 



At one time during the war there was a shortage of tin-plate used 

 for the manufacture of cheese-making utensils, and the industry was 

 seriously retarded, but supplies were procured and the situation 

 became easy. 



A general survey of the country's agricultural progress during 

 the past years of war brings prominently into view the fact that — 

 owing to unprecedented high prices for produce, the necessity for 

 augmenting local supplies, and the world's demand for foodstuffs — 

 there was sufficient incentive to our argriculturists to produce to the 

 utmost. Thus notwithstanding limitations to our development caused 



