OS THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



District Reports » 



BULWEE, 4th April.— It has done nothins; 

 else but rain here for the last fortnight, but 

 strange to say, about 15 miles from Bulwer 

 farmers are complaining of want of rain, and 

 declare the ground is parched and springs have 

 dried up. Several cases of horsesickness have 

 occurred lately. Dr. Oilman's race horse was 

 bad last week ; fortunately Mr. Verney, the 

 District Veterinary Surgeon, succeeded in pull- 

 ing him through. The horse had never been 

 out of the stable and was only fed on oats and 

 forage. It is difficult to say how he got the 

 disease. Generally speaking, horpesickness seldom 

 troubles horses in the village of Bulwer. There 

 have been several cases of redwater and gall- 

 sickness amongst cattle the last month, and I have 

 only heard of one beast dying from the disease. 

 Lungsickness is still bad at the farm Coleford ; 

 22 head of cattle have died up to date. I am 

 glad to say the disease has not spread to other 

 farms, which was feared, as some oxen had been 

 taken from the infected troop just before the 

 disease broke out to some farms adjoining Cole- 

 ford for ploughing purposes. There is very 

 little scab at present in the flocks of sheep in the 

 Division, I am glad to say. A very severe hail- 

 storm visited the Umkomazana locality a few 

 days ago, completely destroying the Native 

 crops for miles. Many Kraals will not reap 

 either mealies or mabele this season. The farms 

 Sarnia and Fornbank near Bulwer have changed 

 hands lately. It was a treat to see the farmer 

 well stocked a few days ago. Both farms have 

 been unoccupied for a long time. I observe 

 that the proposed railway have through this 

 Division will be about eight miles away from 

 the village of Bulwer, which, if carried out, will 

 be very detrimental to the progress of the 

 village. 



H. W. Boast, Magistrate. 



HARDING, 4th April,— We have now had a 

 fair amount of rain, but we are still behind the 

 average, as compared with other seasons. The 

 crops in some parts of the District promise to 

 be very good, in others again, especially in the 

 thorns, they are very poor, in fact Natives are 

 buying mealies already. I hear good reports re 

 the extermination of locusts. Favoured with 

 damp weather the fungus seems to have done 

 its work. Stock are looking well, and horse- 

 sickness has not visited us so far this season. 

 Hay cutting has been very much delayed owing 

 to the continued damp weather. 



P. W. SiiEm'ONE, Magistrate. 



NDWANDWE, 24th March. — For month 

 of February the rainfall wa^ D'OS inches, 

 highest temperature 9,3 degrees, lowest 58 

 degrees. Stock is healthy and in splendid 

 condition. Crops throughout the District are 

 looking exceedingly well, and, with the exception 



of parts ravaged by locusts, give promise of a 

 very good harvest. Already quantities of this 

 season's mealies are finding their way into the 

 market. 



A, W. Leslie. Magistrate. 



NQUTO, 1st April.— The past month has 

 witnessed a continuation of the abnormal rains 

 which were experienced in February, but latterly 

 the weather seems to have resumed normal 

 conditions, and the rainfall shows signs of ap- 

 proaching winter. The mornings and evenings,^ 

 too, savour more of winter, a distinct " bite " 

 being perceptible in the air. A fresh outbreak 

 of lungsickness has occurred amongst stock in 

 the possession of the meat contractor to the 

 troops stationed atNqutu, otherwise the disease 

 whicti has shown itself previously in a few 

 Native herds has made no headway, and the 

 District may be regarded as fairly free from 

 disease amongst cattle. Horses are in very fiae 

 condition, and there has been no case of horse- 

 sickness. As a result of the continuation of the 

 rainy season the gra-ang, for this period of the 

 year, is in very good condition. Crops are fast 

 ripening, and a good harvest is assured. 



C. HiGNETT, Magistrate. 



Good progress is being made with the arrange- 

 ments for the establishment of a stemmery for 

 tobacco-leaf at Wangaratta, and the Govern- 

 ment expert, Mr. A J. Bondurant, expects that 

 he will be able to commence the work of stem- 

 ming shortly after the new year. Consignments 

 of leaf will then be forwarded to England 

 regularly, and the stocks still held in the District 

 will be gradually reduced. A shipment of 30 

 tons, prepared by growers of the Upper King 

 District under Mr. lionlurant's supervision, was 

 sent away last week, and there is inquiry by 

 buyers in England for more. 



The date palms in South Australia, we learn 

 from the annual report of the Woods and 

 Forests Department, continue to develop in a 

 most satisfactory manner. Progress has been 

 specially marked in the seedling plantation at 

 Lake Harry, as well as among the Algerian 

 palms planted there. Many of the seedlings 

 have already flowered. The Algerian palms 

 have made great progress, and some are now 

 Oft. high. Sufficient fruit was borne this year 

 to show that a fine sample of superior quality 

 may be expected when the trees are in full bear- 

 ing. There are now 3,058 date palms of all ages 

 gro wingat Hergott, Lake Harry, and Oodnadatta. 

 These plantations are of much interest to the 

 residents of tropical Australia, as they prove 

 that dates of excellent quality can be grown in 

 I the hot districts of these colonies. 



