THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



387 



For the present I only feel free to state 

 that my experience and investigations 

 into the cause of the disease have led me 

 to the provisional adoption of this as the 

 most probable theory. As time goes on, 

 the experiments which have induced me 

 to lean towards this opinion will be 

 placed before the public, but, as I said 



in the earlier part of this article, T con- 

 sider it a matter for regret that immature 

 and inconclusive results should be placed 

 in the hands of the public before 

 time and extended experience have pro- 

 duced the proofs which alone warrant 

 publicity. 



District Reports. 



BULWER, 22nd August.— The fortnight 

 ended has only been eventful in extreme cold. 

 On the 13th inst. a few very refreshing showers 

 fell in the vicinity of Bulwer, followed by dull, 

 cloudy days on the 14th and 15th ; then the cold 

 winds started, and for four days it was very 

 trying to all kinds of stock at all thin or old. 

 For several mornings heavy frosts have fallen, 

 and the grass, which was springing fast, has been 

 cut off, but as the weather is now much calmer 

 I have no doubt it will soon make headway 

 again. Except for the lungsickness on the farm 

 Fairacres, of Messrs. Miller Bros, all kinds of 

 stock are free from disease in the Division, as far 

 as I know. The condition of the stock is about 

 the same as is usual this time of the year : when 

 they get on to the bums they fall off ver consid- 

 erably in condition, but soon pick up again when 

 the grass springs up. Mealies are being offered 

 for sale freely by Natives, but there is not much 

 demand for them. The wheat and rye crops 

 at the Reichenau Trappist Station on the P lela 

 look very healthy. The fruit trees are now 

 commencing to bud. The earlier kinds are 

 already in blossom, notably the plum trees, 

 giving the orchards a picturesque appeal ance. 



H. W. Boast, Magistrate. 



DUNDEE, 19th August, 1901.— Lungsicknes3 

 is not so prevalent here as it was when I last 

 reported, but it will be impossible to stamp it 

 out until captured and looted stock cease to be 

 brought into the Division. Although there 

 seems to be any number of sheep in the neigh- 

 bourhood, it is difficult to get any but Australian 

 mutton from the local butchers. Fowls are very 

 expensive and eggs scarce in Dundee, but I 

 believe they are cheap and plentiful enough at 

 the Native kraals. There is great difficulty in 

 obtaining Native labour, probably owing to the 

 higher wages paid by the military. We had a 

 splendid downfall of rain last week, which has 

 brightened things up generally. The windy 

 season has commenced : may it be a short one. 



W. Gr. Wheelwright, Acting Magistrate. 



HLABISA, 22nd August. -There is little of 

 interest to report from this District, Dry 

 weather has prevailed during the month, and 

 grass, which at the beginniag of the month was 

 very green, has browned considerably, altliough, 

 of course, there has been no frost, which, I 



think, is unknown to this District. A fair crop 

 of mealies has been harvested by the natives, 

 and they have commenced sowing again on the 

 Coast lands. Stock, which comprises cattle 

 chiefly, is in good condition, and the District is 

 practically free from disease. A few cases of 

 gallsickness have come to my notice recently. 



R. D. Talbot, Acting Magistrate. 



HO WICK, 27th August.— The total rainfall 

 for the past fortnight was 1 80 inch, rain having 

 fallen on five different dites. On the night of 

 the 24th instant a steady rain commenced to 

 fall, and continued until the nigbt of the 26th 

 inst. This rain is worth thousands of psunds 

 to the District, since it will minimise the death- 

 rate among the stock, especially sheep, for the 

 approaching lambing season. 1 he grass, which 

 was very backward, has commenced to spring 

 rapidly, and can already yiald sufficient food for 

 sheep. The farmers of the District have taken 

 full advantage of ti.e long period of dry weather, 

 and have disposed of most of their crop-, which 

 have realised very high prices, with the excep- 

 tion of mealies. During the past fortnight the 

 maximum temperature was 8tj deg., registered 

 on the 12th iiist., and the minimum during 

 the sj,me period was 28 deg.. on the 22nd inst. 



J. W. Cross, Magistrate. 



IMPENDHLE, 26th August.— The winter in 

 this District set in late but suddenly with cold 

 nights and heavy frosts. It soon became 

 warmer, however, and the winter, which is now 

 over, has been a mild one, 10 degrees of frost 

 being the highest record during it, as against 16 

 in previous winters. After a long spell of dry 

 and hot weather we have had a splendid soaking 

 rain, which, commencing on the 24th, lasted 

 until the afternoon of the following day. The 

 grass was already springing, and will now come 

 on rapidly. Scab is more prevalent than it has 

 been in past years, several flocks in the Division 

 being infected with the disease. The outbreak 

 of lungsickuess which occurred some three 

 months ago appears to have been checked by 

 the inoculation, only one or two head of cattle 

 having died, I believe. 



Chas. Boast, Magistrate. 



NEW HANOVER, 28th August.— The aspect 

 of the country in general has been greatly im- 



