THE AORIGULTUBAL JOURNAL. 



507 



be made to have tennis courts laid down 

 in front of tlie Hall. The verandah and 

 kitchen, etc., would come in very useful, 

 and an arrangement could be come to 

 with the Lawn Tennis Club as to tennis, 

 that would be of advantage to both 

 Society and Club. This is a matter for 

 the incoming committee to deal with, and 

 I merely make the suggestion. 



It will be necessary to appoint a com- 

 mittee to arrange about the completion 

 of the yard, when the time arrives, the 

 present committee having done all they 

 can at present. 



The thanks of the Society are due to 

 your committee and officers. Our hon. 



secretary has proved himself a success, 

 and I think we should endeavour to keep 

 him for another year at least. I think it 

 is advisable that you appoint a new 

 President this year. I have now been in 

 the chair for two years, and having had a 

 good deal to do with the building of the 

 Hall, etc., I feel that another man coming 

 fresh to the work will do more for the 

 r'ociety than I can. In conclusion, 1 wish 

 to thank all committeemen and office- 

 bearers for the way in which they have 

 carried out the work of the Society, and I 

 feel that we have only to pull together to 

 make the Society one of the best country 

 societies and shows in the Colony. 



Ixopo Farmers' Association^ 



ANNUAL MEETING. 



The above meeting wa.s held in the hall on 

 the 28t]i ulto.^ tliere being present : Messrs. 

 C. E. Hancock (President), Thomas I'osLer, J. 

 Schofield, G. Martin, W. K. Anderson, Jt'hn 

 Anderson, W. H. Walton, A. S. Arden, G. E. 

 Francis, and others. 



THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 

 The President, in his address, expressed re- 

 gret that so many of their members had Ibeen 

 again called oat on active service, and the 

 opinion that the time had arrived when a burg- 

 her law should be enforced, so that active ser- 

 vice would fall equally on all. Certain cor- 

 respcTidence had passed 'between the G.I.D. and 

 the association relative to 'the detection of 

 stock thieves. The association had been re- 

 quested to nominate a suitable man as detective 

 pfiicer, but as so many of tht; volunteers were 

 interested in the subject, he suggested a post- 

 ponement of the nomination pending their re- 

 turn. 



EINDERPEST. 



We are again— after an intfa-val of four years 

 — ^threatened with a visitatien of rinderpest. 

 Should the disease again break out in tlie 

 colony, it is to be hoped that stringent mea- 

 sures will be adopted to prevent the indis,cri- 

 nate inoculation and infection of cattle wiiich 

 occurred in too many instances before. All 

 reports go to s'liow that, so far, the disease 

 is of a less virulent type than was the case 

 four j'ears ago. 



IRRIGATION. 

 I am glad to notice that tlie advantages of 

 irrigation are becoming more generallv recog- 

 nised in this Division. No doub't the dry sea- 

 sons we have had for the ])ast year or two 

 — together with the rust in 8ummei--grown 



oats — have led farmers to give more attention 

 to this sutoject, and, in so far, have perhaps 

 been blessings in disguise. I would like to 

 point out, however, that, as far as my observa- 

 tion and experience goes — irrigation has net 

 the same virtue in Natal as in the Gape Golony, 

 and, as I am given to understand, in many 

 parts of the Orange Rivei- Colony; the chief 

 reason being the porous and friable nature of 

 our .soil. The water, instead of being applied 

 to the surface of the ground only, percolates 

 straight downward, carrying a good deal of the 

 rich constituents of the soil with it, so that 

 unless cai'c is taken the ground is very rapidly 

 impoverished. Another reason, perhaps, is that 

 the water itself in Natal is purer; whereas, in 

 Cape Colony, as a rule, the water holds so many 

 chemicals in solution that its effect when ap- 

 plied to the land is as tihat of liquid manure. 

 It is, however, a distinct benefit, even in Natal, 

 •to irrigate lands which are fairly level, and 

 I sliould strongly advise every farmer to go in 

 for it if praoticable. 



GENERA!:. 

 It is very gratifying to be able to announce 

 that the list of members of this association 

 shows a considerable increase over last year. 

 The association being tihe recognised medium 

 for carrying the wishes and need's of the Divi- 

 sion to (the Govemmient, it is tc be hoped that 

 tlie memberslhip roll will be still further aug- 

 mented during the coming year. From the 

 Treasurer's report it will be seen that the 

 finances of the association are in a satisfac- 

 tory state. Your thanks are due to tlie Hon. 

 .Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. Francis, for hig 

 services during the past year. The work is very 

 considerable, and tends to increase, and the 

 efficient manner in which it is discharged Jays 

 us under a deep obligation to tliat gentleman. 



