11 



Root Ceops. 



Root crops -u'ere rather below the average, taking the State 

 as a whole, as comparatively few correspondents report them 

 as above average, while 55 consider them to have been below. 

 They developed wonderf ullv well when the prolonged drought 

 is considered, and were very far from being a failure, as 

 would perhaps have been expected, but were nevertheless 

 considerably reduced in yield. Potatoes, sometimes classed 

 as a root crop, though not properly included in that class, 

 were a light crop in all sections, but brought good prices. 



Faem Stock. 

 Pastures were very dry and short during September and 

 October, and young stock generally came to the bams in 

 rather poor flesh. Milch cows have been fed at the bams 

 ever since the middle of September in most sections, and 

 therefore remained in good condition and kept up a good 

 flow of milk. What the effect of the shortage in fall feed 

 will be in the future remains to be seen. Certainlv the 

 supply of hay has been reduced on many farms, and, as the 

 crop was not a heavy one, this would naturally lead to a 

 cutting down of the number of cattle to be carried through 

 the winter. 



Fall Seedlng. 



Much less than the usual amount of fall seeding has been 

 done, owing to the excessive drought, which made ploughing 

 unwise on many fields, and also reduced the chances of ger- 

 mination so such an extent that few ventured upon the opera- 

 tion. That which was put in early and germinated during 

 August and early September seems to have done well in 

 spite of the drought, and to be in fairly good condition. That 

 put in later failed to germinate fully in most cases, and has 

 made little progress. 



Prices. 



Prices for crof)s raised for market, as indicated by the 

 returns, average about the same as in former years, though 

 if there has been any movement it has been in the downward 

 direction, and there would certainly seem to be a recession 



