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THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



Natives will reap heavy crops. Thanks to the 

 early ra'ns, some of the first crops of potatoes 

 will soon be ready for use. Those who have 

 any for sale have no difficulty in disposing of 

 them at 3d. per lb. The fruit, too, is coming on 

 well there having been no hailstorms up to the 

 present. Sheep-shearing continues apace, and 

 a good yield of wool is expected, as the sheep 

 have continued in good condition since they 

 were last clipped. Milk and butter making 

 are i:ow at their height, and a ready market for 

 all dairy produce can be found at the Howick 

 Convalescent Depot and thj Natal Creamery. 

 I would again draw the attention of stock- 

 owners and others to the fact that every Native 

 or Indian driving or leading stock must be pro- 

 vided with a printed pass, as per Section 7 of 

 Law 1, 1899, a supply of which passes can always 

 be obtained during office hours at this office, 

 free of charge. People who grant passes by 

 simply writing certain particulars oc a piece of 

 paper render themselves liable to a prosecution 

 for issuing improper passes, and may be fined 

 up to £2i), or six months' imprisonment, while 

 the unfortunate Native or Indian found in pos 

 session of the stock is liable to arrest and 

 similar punishment for removing stock without 

 a proper pass, and tht cattle he was driving ini- 

 pounded. Thus, by neglecting to comply with 

 this simple requirement of the Law, granters 

 of t asses cause themselves and their servants 

 needless trouble, expense and delay. In future 

 the Police of this Division will prosecute 

 granters of supposed passes who do mot comply 

 with the Law in this respect, and they cannot 

 plead ignorance, as a copy of the Act has been 

 supplied to all sto k-owners in the Division, 

 th'-ough this offic I have pleasure instating 

 thac a trout has lately been seen above the 

 Howick Bridge, estimated to weigh about 1;^ lb., 

 which is proof that they are working their way 

 down stream from the Dargle. 



J. W. Cross, Magistrate. 



INxNDA DIVISION, 16th November.— 

 When writing last, on the 29th October, I re- 

 ferred to the immunity of the Division from 

 locusts. I am sarry to have to report now, that 

 within a few days of writing, the I 'ivision was 

 invaded by immense swarms, which literally 

 covered the whole face of the country. They 

 are now laying eygs, after which they will, as 

 usual, die off, only shortly to be sue ceded by 

 the na.ching out hoppers. The Division b ing 

 under the operation of the Locust Acts, an 

 o])portuiiity will therefore be soon afforded of 

 observing their practical working. Green food 

 being plentiful, the locusts are reported not to 

 have done much harm to crofs. The latter are 

 looking well after the favourable rains which 

 have fallen at short intervals. Very large areas 

 of mealies, tobarco, and beans are being put in, 

 t rincipally by Indian farmers. Sugar-planters 

 are complaining of the accumulation of large 

 stocks for warn of Railway transport to convey 

 )t to nuirket. One i)lanter only to day informed 

 me that he was at his wits end— as he had an 

 accumuhition of 200 tons and all his available 

 storti-room sp.ce was full, and the mill still 

 running, and enough cane to keep it going for 



two or three months. This does seem .rather 

 puzzling to the uninitated, when seeing empty 

 trucks going towards Durban. The rainfall for 

 O tober was not heavy probably under^ the 

 average— but after the heavy rains during Sept- 

 ember, and almost continuous ool weather, 

 enough fell for all practical purposes, and much 

 cane- planting has been done, which is coming 

 up nicely; and so are the weeds. The follosv- 

 in' are the main features of Ithe meteorological 

 observations made in Verulam during ctober : 

 Rainfall, 2.85 inches, which fell on 14 days. 

 The hc-avie-st rain was 47 of an inch on the 

 2nd Maximum temperature in the shade 89 

 degs. on the 16th and 26th ; miuimum tempera- 

 ture. 52 degs., on the 11th ; mean temperature 

 for month, 68 9 degs. Stock of all kinds con- 

 tinues to thrive, and horse-sickness has not yet 

 made its appearance. The health of the people 

 is also keeping good. I have not heard of much 

 sickness being about this sutnmer, whereas 

 spring is often! a time of many ailments. 



John L. Knight, Magistrate. 



INGWAVUMA, 7th November.— Very cold 

 and drizzling rains were frequent during the 

 greater portion of the month : sufficient to 

 enable the natives to till the soil. vVe have 

 had only one or two thunderstorms, and they 

 were not heavy ones. The Natives are busy 

 picking the soil, and in many gardens the 

 mealies are from four to five inches in height. 

 What crops are in the j; round are doing well. 

 Stock is looking well, both cattle and goats, 

 and also Native— or, rather, Africander— sheep. 

 The latter seem to thrive well upon the range, 

 and it is to be regretted that these useful 

 animals are not more plentiful. The recent 

 outbreak of lungsickness in this Division 

 appears to be dying out. It is to be hoped that 

 by the end of the year this disease will be 

 effectually stamped out. The Stock Inspector 

 (Mr. W. W. Dore) visited the District on the 

 7th, and remained here for several days. 

 During his stay he granted licenses to the 

 owners of several infected herds, under the 

 Lungsick Acts. 



J. M. Hellet, Acting Magistrate. 



NEW HANOVER, 18th November.- Since 

 my last report large swarms of locusts have 

 passed over different i arts of the Division. 

 The largest swarm, I am informed, passed over 

 Albert Falls a favourite route of theirs — 

 doing a great deal of damage to the youns 

 crops. This sudden and inoppor.une arrival 

 of locusts IS the more exasparaiing, as it was 

 quite unexpected after the complete immunity 

 from their ragaves in this Division for some 

 time. There are many instances of quarter- 

 evil amongst cattle. 



A. RiTTER, Magistrate. 



N'KANDHLA, Sbt October.— The fall of 

 rain during the month has been slight. The 

 weat er has been very changeable ; hot, and 

 then very cold, with thick mists, Lungsickness 

 may be said to be still on the decrease, the only 

 fresh cases being outbreaks at the kraals of the 

 Chief Sitehitshili and Jafita, Chief Moses ; the 



