254 REPORT OP THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



experience on this subject, viz, that where hares increase and become numerous the 

 rabbits do not. There may be an exception to this, such as on the Werribee estate, 

 but nevertheless it is the rule. 



LOSSES SUSTAINED, 



It is doubtful whether many persons are aware of the immense loss that has been 

 sustained in this colony tbrougli the ravages of the ralibits, but it is an imdoubted 

 fact tliat as much as £23,000 lias been expended to clear one estate and keep the 

 pests under, and in many others it has cost the owners large sums, from £15,000 

 downwards. 



In addition to the expense incu^rred by private owners, shire councils, and tlie 

 government in destroying the pests, the great depreciation in the value of land and 

 its grazing capabilities has to be considered. For instance, the stony rises, consist- 

 ing of about 1:^0,000 acres and surrounded by some of the finest grass-land in Victoria, 

 have been rendered of little value except for rabbits, the owners of the land obtaming 

 a small rental from trappers; and about 4,000 acres were some while back disposed 

 of at the low figure of 10 shillings per acre. In the discussions in the colonial par- 

 liament on the introduction of the late ''Malle pastoral leases act," it was clearly 

 pointed out that the coimtry (12,000,000 acres) affected by the bill had been rendered 

 almost useless and iminhabitable through the damage caused by tlie ruthless invader. 

 Stations on which smiling homesteads, fine orchards, and other improvements had 

 a few years back existed were fallen into ruin and deserted by all living creatures 

 except the rabbits. Here, where the grass and salt-bush in 187.J were sufiicient for 

 nearly 700,000 sheep, enough did not grow in 1882 for one-seventh of that number, 

 the loss diu-ing the past five years being estimated as at least tlu-ee-quarters of a 

 million sterling, besides £40,000 decrease to government in rents and £20,000 ex- 

 pended in destroying the pests. To illustrate the damage here, I cannot do better 

 than attach the particulars given of a few stations in the above discussion. 



Year 1877, Bruin Station carried 36,000 sheep, rental £500; in 1879, 10,000; run 

 abandoned; relet under grazing license for £56. Wanga and Nipo, once carrying 

 20,000 sheep; rental £400: now not a sheep on the run, which was also abandoned 

 and relet for £20. Lake Hindmarsh carried, in 1877, 83,000 sheep; lost 35,000 in two 

 years; rent £700, now £73. Corong, 1877, 36,000 sheep, now 3,000; rent £1,050, now 

 £150; and several others were mentioned as being in an equally bad position. 



In the years 1875 and 1876 the production of wool in the Mallee country was aboiit 

 5.000 bales, value £100,000. In 1883 this had fallen to 900 bales, worth, say, £18,000. 

 Eighteen runs in this district in the year 1878 yielded 1,700 bales; in 1882 only 332 

 bales. The runs were all abandoned, and the land held from government under gr.'izing 

 leases, at an almost nominal rent, by persons that trusted that something would be 

 done to improve the tenure under which the land could be held, and give them an 

 opportunity and sufficient inducement to endeavor by combined action to destroy 

 the rabbit pest, and render the land once more fit for profitable occupation. 



AVhether the lengthened tenvu-e now given to this part of the colony will enable 

 the desu'ed result to be achieved remains to be seen. 



REMEDIAL MEASURES. 



During the past three years the government has expended about £30,000 in Vic- 

 toria on the extirpation or the rabbit, the prmcipal means used being poison, sucli 

 as phosphorized oats and wheat, arsenic mixed with bran and chaff, and bisulphide 

 of carbon. 



The various sliire councils in the badly mfested disti-icts have also adopted sin'iilar 

 means, though in the majority of cases the rabbit act has not been strictly enforced, 

 many of the shires not being in a position to inciu- the extra expense necessary to 

 do so. ' 



In addition to the means above mentioned, the coimcils have arranged for the 

 purchase of rabbit-skins or ears and scalps, and have been assisted by tJie govern- 

 ment to the extent of a bonus of 'Sd. per dozen on all skins or ears and scal]is jiur- 

 chased Ijy them. From various re] lorts published at various times in tlu^ jiapers, and 

 inquiries naade, the number of rabbits destroyed has been considerable, at least 

 157,000 dozen, equal to 1,884,000 scalps and ears and skuas, being paid for in less 

 than two yeai-s; the St.Ai-niand and Swan Hill shires being the largest purchasers. 



In the Colac and Camperdown district a i)reserving factory was started some few 

 years back, and operations catried on with vigor, the factory working each year for 

 about six months, from ilar(^]i to October, and during that neriod purchasing from 

 750,000 to 1,000.000 rab))its, tlie jirico paid being about 3.s'. G<L per dozen. These rab- 

 bits are nearly all obtained from the stony rises and surrounding districts, as they 

 cannot be sent to the factory in proper condition from any great distance. 



