808 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



management, can never be expected to produce more than a fraction 

 of the country's requirements. Moreover, most of the indigenous 

 timbers are hardwoods, and the woods the country uses most largely 

 are softwoods. Fortunately, experience shows that these woods can 

 be grown successfully in selected portions of the Union, and it is 

 only by rapidly expanding the area under these plantations that the 

 Union can hope to become to any exteut independent of other countries 

 for its needs. 



The Wheat Crop of the World. 



In the September, 1920, International Crop Heport, published 

 in Rome, it is estimated that the approximate area sown to wheat in 

 the Argentine, Australia, and the Union this season is 11,486,900 

 hectares (1 hectare = 2.47 acres), which is 28.4 per cent, greater than 

 the acreage of the previous season and 2 per cent, greater than the 

 average area under wheat during the five years 1914-15 to 1918-19. 

 In the same report it is shown that in the Northern Hemisphere the 

 1920 wheat crop, covering an area representing about half of the 

 world's total yield, and including the United States and India, is 

 .1 per cent, more than in 1919, but 1.7 per cent, under the average 

 for the five years 1914-18. 



Inoculation and Dosing of Breeding Ewes. 



Mr. A. G. Michaelian, Principal Sheep and "Wool Expert, 

 furnishes the following note : — 



Breeding or pregnant ewes should not be inoculated or dosed 

 whilst the rams are with them or during pregnancy. 



Inoculation should take place at least one month before shearing 

 to enable the ewes to recover before they are shorn or put to the ram. 

 When ewes are put to the ram immediately or shortly after shearing, 

 the lambing- percentage will not be good. This applies to both rams 

 and ewes. The reason for this is that at no time during the twelve 

 months does a sheep grow wool more rapidly than during the first 

 three or four weeks after being shorn. Practically all the energy of 

 both rams and ewes is concentrated on the production of a coat to keep 

 them warm and not on reproduction. This fact should be obvious to 

 an experienced sheep man. Both rams and ewes should be shorn one 

 month before tupping time. Ram lambs, ewe lambs, dry sheep, and 

 maiden ewes not put to the ram may be dosed whenever necessary. 

 When necessary all sheep, whether dry or breeding, should be inocu- 

 lated one month before shearing. 



If sheep are shorn whilst undergoing the mild attack or otherwise 

 of blue-tongue produced by the inoculation, it stands to reason that 

 they will be more susceptible to chills which are liable to produce an 

 aggravated form of the malady. 



The Journal is the Department's medium of making known its 

 activities. It contains information of value to every farmer in the 

 Union. Keep it for reference. 



