TEE AGRTCULTURAL JOURNAL. 



323 



punishment inflicted in this case beins? the first 

 of its kind in the Division, other Indians, and 

 also Natives, will take warning. Revertin;,' to 

 the frosts experienced, 1 may mention that on 

 the nights of the l!)th and 20th inst., 7 degrees 

 of frost were registered, and the consequence 

 was that water in taps and pipes above ground 

 was frozen. Rain is badly needed, and it is the 

 general prayer that it may not be long delayed 

 now that the spring is soon coming on. All 

 classes of stock in this Division are free from 

 disease, as far as I know, with the exception of 

 a few cases of scab amongst sheep. 



J. W. Cross, Magistrate. 



• ? ? ' July.— During the past fort- 



night there has been one stoim, accompanied by 

 a httle rain, and a few light showers, indicating 

 the approach of an early spring. There have 

 been several large gras- fires with loss of stock. 

 Unfortunately the farmers do not seem inclined 

 to take advantage of the provision of Act 31 of 

 1895, and have the Grass Burning Act put into 

 force. To do so, it is necessary for 15 land- 

 owners (erven holders excepted) to requi-ition 

 the Magistrate to call a meeting to decide 

 whether the Magisterial Division shall be 

 brought under the provision of the Act. It is 

 not generally known that in the event of a 

 native deliberately setting fire, in contravention 

 of this Act, that the said native could not be 

 criminally punished, because the Act is not 

 m force in this Magistracy ; and lo sue the 

 native civilly, would probably be of little ad- 

 vantage, as the native would probably possess 

 nothing, and the kraal head would not be liable 

 for the misdeeds of a minor, or inmate of his 

 kraal. 



Frank E. Foxon, Magistrate. 



INANDA, 18th July.— June has passed away 

 without incident of note in this Division, For 

 the season of the year, the weather was very 

 favourable. The followine are a few particulars 

 irom the meteorological observations made here 

 during the month: -Rain, 1.47 inches, which 

 tell on seven days, the heavitst fall being 0.83 

 ot an inch on the 27th ; maximum temperature 

 in the shade, 89 degs on the 1st ; minimum, 45 

 degs on ihe 28tb : mean temperature for month 

 b6J degs. The rain did a lot of good, as it was 

 preceded by a long spell of drought, and cr. ps 

 were beginning to show s gns of parching. The 

 riin has, however, put matters right again, pro- 

 vided we do not have another too long dry spell, 

 and I must say present appearances are in 

 tavour of the latter. During ihis month the 

 weather has been very cold, and I hear fre- 

 quently of frosts in the valleys, but not enough 

 so far to have damaged cane. I regret to say 

 that, ]ust as the Division was considered clear 

 ot disease amongst stock, an outbreak of lun^- 

 sickness has been reported amongst a small lot 

 pt cattle belonging to an Indian farmer at New- 

 lands One has been killed, and the rest 

 inoculated and placed under license. Otherwise 

 stock IS thuving in the Division. There is an 

 epidemic of some kind amongst dogs, and I am 

 intormed that large numbers are dying all over 

 the place One gentleman has lost twenty-one 



out of thirty-nine. Amongst human beings, 

 after the severe epidemic of dengue, which has 

 not yet quite disappeared, has come one of in- 

 fluenza, and I hear of a large number of people 

 having been, or still are, laid up with it. It 

 may not be generally known that a gentleman 

 in tkis county, who is a scientific horticulturist 

 by profession, has raised a new and very fine 

 species or variety of orange, which he has 

 decided to call the " Natal Victoria," the latter 

 after our late Queen, with Natal prefixed to 

 denote the country of its origin, I think the 

 " Natal Mammoth " would have been a more 

 appropriate name, as it is certainly a mammoth 

 orange. It is without exception the most 

 delicious orange I have ever eaten, has a flavour 

 which is new and entirely its own. t-'ome of 

 the fruits have reached 25 oz. in weight, and 

 rneasured 15J inches in circumference. A little 

 time since one twig was picked with four 

 oranges on it, which turned the scales at 5|lbs., 

 the four, and this, notwithstanding that the tree 

 had suffered severely from the drought last year, 

 and has not yet quite recovered, and the size of 

 the fruit, therefore, this season, not up to the 

 usual a vei age. The "discoverer" informs me 

 that, given suitable soil, and a favourable season, 

 the oranges will average at least 2()ozs. The 

 tree is quite distinct from all other oranges, very 

 large with curly leaves, and the seedlings par- 

 take of the parent tree, proving it to be a really 

 distinct orange from all others. It is a most 

 rubust and vigorous grower ; a few grafted four 

 years ago are now in full bearing. The 

 gower has at present some 200 young 

 grafted trees for disposal. and hopes 

 to have 600 more by this time next 

 year. Any person being desirous of obtaining 

 young plants could do so by applying to me for 

 the address. In the meantime I may state that 

 I have seen and tasttd the oranges, and can 

 vouch for the above facts, and lest what 1 have 

 said may be construed as a cheap advertisement, 

 I would here add that I have written entirely on 

 my own initiative, and for that reason am un- 

 able to gi\e the name of the grower. At the 

 same time, I consider it a public duty to make 

 the orange known, in order that it may become 

 largely propagated, and to give an early oppor- 

 tunity to those wishing to obtain trees to do so. 

 I may also mention that the same gentleman has 

 raised another distinct variety of orange, not so 

 large, but a most splendid orange — as, however, 

 it has as yet only borne fruit once this season, 

 it is too early at present to do more than merely 

 refer to iU 



John L. Knight, Magistrate, 



Port Shepstone 

 iiiusirations. 



JN this issue will be found a supplement 

 illustrating the "interview" by "Er- 

 gtaes" with Mr. Maydon, M.L.A., No. 5, 

 Vol. IV. J . , , 



