|g proRess OF NEW SOUTH WaLEs—1872 70 188], 133 
progress and well-being of this country. There is just one point 
more that I wish to draw attention to, and that is the diminution 
in umber of our cattle. The returns on March 31, 1881, 
showed 2,580,040, whilst those of March 31, 1882, showed 
2,180,896, a deficiency of close upon 400,000 head in the twelve 
months, This is partly owing to losses through drought, but I 
believe may be attributed in a greater degree to the substitution 
of sheep for cattle on the pastures of New South Wales, and the 
demand for cattle to stock the vast plains in the Colony of Queens- 
land, lately brought into occupation. And there is yet a further 
consideration which presents itself to my mind in connection with 
our pastoral industry, and that is whether without artificial aid 
We can maintain the rate of increase in our flocks which the last 
ten years has developed. I am disposed to think that we have 
arrived at the maximum which our native grasses will in ordinary 
Seasons enable us to depasture. We are apt to regard moist 
Seasons as the criterion of the capabilities of our pastures, for- 
getting that moist seasons are the exception and not the rule ; and 
Wwe are not readily disposed to make allowance for the deteriora- 
tion of them by persistent overstocking, by the ravages of marsu- 
pials, and by the injurious effect of long continued droughts. 
i r' 
There is no chance given to the best grasses and to 
= they are said to be dying out in many districts of the Colony 
t behoves us to look seriously to the injurious effec this 
the growth and quality of our wool. 
: shapes the year 1871 we exported the produce peers 
‘ony as follows : quantity, 65,611,953 ibs. ; value, £4,748,160, 
a at a little over Is. 5d. per Ib. The clip of 1871 was est 
pis ab have produced an average of 4 Ibs. per sheep shorn; and 3 
as ee *1 lization in the London marketthere 
the ate, and it must be re assumption only. In 
£7 pant 1881_we exported : quantity, 139,601,506 Ibs. value, 
ta 9,787. The estimated value in this case is very little over 
a. Pet hh, as compared with 1s. 5d. in 1871, and this may be se 
ean Sie nae esanetien ool oing home in the 
over the entire clip. In the ten years since 18 
five wool to the value of 55 millions sterling, or at the rate 
ohne mys illions per annum, calculated at the average 
“Lie 2 a4: per Ib. 
result, ay Preserved Meats, d-c.—In order to arrive at the 
rh. cur pastoral industry, it behoves us to trace to of 
“het profit our flocks and herds have been converted. In 18 
