28 



THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



NEW HANOVER, llth March. -The rain- 

 fall during last week was 1"21 inches, which is a 

 record for the District this season, .\lealies are 

 grown extensively in the Division, the best 

 success having been obtaioed with the Hickory 

 King. Fortunately for the farmer locusts are 

 compatatively rarely seen. This is somewhat 

 strange, as the mealie is their favourite food, 

 and the crops in their present condition might 

 be an inducement to the daintiest of locusts. 

 The late rains protracted the planting, conse- 

 quently the crops are late, but look none the 

 worse for it. 



A. RiTTER, Magis rate. 



N'KANDHLA DISTRICT. "iSth February.— 

 The rainfall during the month has been heavy, 

 at the beginning of the ruonth several severe 

 rain storms passed over the District, and since 

 then mist and drizzle have prevailed at the 

 Magistracy almost daily, The health of the 

 District has not been so good as usual, several 

 cases of dysenl^ery having been repo.-ted, and two 

 or three deaths amongst the >Jatives took place. 

 The crops have greatly improved since the last 

 heavy rains, and there is every hope for a good 

 harvest, especially on the high lands of the 

 District, where they had not suffered so severely 

 from the effects of the drought. No locusts 

 have been reported. Two horses died of horse- 

 sickness at the " Etala" Mission Station, other- 

 wise, no diseases have been reported, and all 

 stock is looking well. Thirty goats were killed 

 by one flash of lightning at a Native kraal not 

 far from here at the beginning of the month. 



C. G. Fo.voN, Magistrate. 



NQUTU, 2«th February.— Fine weather with 

 a plentiful rainfall, has been the order of the 

 moHth. The rainfall was unusual for the period 

 of the season, and we had one rain which ex- 

 tended over six days. Water is, as a result of 

 the soaking rains, plentiful, and the springs 

 have been well replenished to meet the c( ming 

 winter. Crops have come on at a great rate, 

 and, barring a severe ea'-ly frost, should give 

 good results. There are still a few isolated 

 cases of lungsickne^s. but I am pleased to say 

 that the disease Hoes not appear to be spreading. 

 The health of the inhabitants of the District, 

 both European and Native, has been good, 

 though one European is down with tnteric 

 fever, 



C. HiG\ETT,Magistrate. 



PORT SHEPSTONfi. llth March.— During 

 the past fortnight we have had steady, soaking 

 rains. 1 he total rainfall was 4i.'i inches. All 

 the crops are in conse(]uence looking splendid, 

 and the farmers are looking forward to a very 

 heavy crop of mealies The yield of fruit, especi- 

 ally of oranges and naartjes, will, however, be 

 far below the average. The Stock Inspector m- 

 foru s me that he has cume across a good many 

 dead locusts. He has sect some of these up to 

 the Veterinary Department to ascertain if it is 

 the fungus that has killed them. The present is 

 a very favourable time for the use of fungus 

 down here. The highest maximum temperature 

 was 83 degs., on the Dtli inst.. and the lowest fiS 

 dees., on the lOth inst. 



P. Hugo, Magistrate. 



STANGER, 8th March.- Up to within a week 

 ago we had a spell of dry weather, the ground 

 being caked and hard. In some plact s farmers 

 have been unable to plough for winter crops, 

 owing to the ground being impenetrable. I his 

 has now been remedied by nice, soaking rains 

 this week, U inches having fallen. Voung 

 locusts have made their appearance in nearly 

 every part of the District. There has been a 

 great demand for locust fungus, but as yet no 

 results have been leported. I have heard of one 

 or two planters spraying the swarms of young 

 locusts with yellow soap suds, with g«od etfect. 

 In spite of drought and locusts, the crops, 

 notablv mealies and mabele. are looking well ; 

 the natives generally have planted mabele and 

 very few mealies. What little stock there is 

 left is looking well. There are no cases of 

 disease in the District amongst horned cattle. 

 Indians are going in largely for goals, which 

 seem to do very well. Horsesickness and blue 

 tongue made its appearance early. At one tirne 

 it was thought these fearful scourges were again, 

 as in 1899, going to play havoc, but I am glad to 

 be able to report that during the last month 

 there have been very few cases. The maggot 

 fly has been very troublesome during the last 

 three months ; very few fanilies have escaped a 

 visit from this pest. I am glad to say i have 

 heard of no illness resulting from it. In one 



case (Mr of Stanger) thirty-mne maggots 



were taken from a liitle baby four months old in 



the course of ten days. Mr. — informs me 



that the fly lays the maggot on clothing and on 

 the body, and the maggot penetrates the skin. 

 This he holds to have proved by ocular demon- 

 stration.* 



A. J. S. Maiutz, Acting Magistrate. 



*The Government Entomologist is of opinion 

 that the remarks regarding the deposition of the 

 larva of the bot or maggot fly, and its subsequent 

 penetration of the skin, should be accepted with 

 reservation.— Ed.. Agricultural Journal. 



STANGER, llth March.— The rainfall during 

 the pist month his been v.ry uniform, and has 

 trreatlv benefited all standing crops. Mealies 

 bid fair to sbo.v a splendid return this year, and 

 times are . ood for the small farmer. Cane, too, 

 promises to yield well, though planters say that 

 they can still do with a great deal more rain 

 Locusts are plentiful, as is usual at this tme of 

 the year, both hoppers and flying locusts but 

 they have so far done little harm. Stock is 

 healthy, though a few horses have died from 

 sickness. Cattle fetch as high prices in this as 

 in up-country districts. 



F. P. SiiuTEK, Magistrate, 



UBOMBO, 1st March.— The total rainfall 

 registered during the past month was G-87 ins., 

 and the minimum and maximum temperature, 

 59 and 95 de,s. respectively. Rain fell on six- 

 teen out of the twenty-eight d .ys. 1 he Inkuzi 

 River was in a more flooded state than it has 

 been for years, so much so, that ihe low veld to 

 east of the Magistracy appeared to be more or 

 less swamped. The Pongo a al.o overflowed its 

 banks to the north eastof the Magistracy, wher« 

 it beads and trends towards the Usutu River 



