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TEE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



GsMinea Grass Seeii. 



A SMALL consignment of guinea grass, 

 panicum maximum, seed has been 

 received, and is available, on application, 

 for free distribution in small quantities. 

 The following information is taken from 

 the " New South Wales Journal " :— 

 Guinea Grass is an excellent fodder plant, 

 as has been proved in Jamaica and in the 

 Indies. It is perennial, seeds freely, and 

 in good seasons can be cut four or five 

 times in the course of the year. Cattle 

 and horses eat it readily. In Jamaica one 

 acre of the grass is sufficient to feed two 

 horses and a cow for twelve months, and 

 there it is considered next in importance 

 to sugar-cane. The plant flourishes best 

 in a moist — not too moist— soil, and 



should be cut when young and tender, un- 

 less it is intended for chaff. It is stated 

 that one-fifth of the land in Jamaica is 

 under guinea grass, to the nourishment 

 in which is attributed the fact that 

 there are a much greater number of good 

 horses and good cattle in Jamaica than in 

 any other part of the world of the same 

 size. 



On the 18th October, 1890, Mr. T. J. 

 Jephson, of Cobar, wrote the " N.S.W, 

 Agricultural Gazette " : — Some years ago 

 I introduced guinea grass into Central 

 Queensland, and it was found to give large 

 quantities of green fodder and to stand 

 the climate well. 



DistHct Reports, 



IMPENDHLE, 2nd December.— Although 

 rain fell on thirteen days during the p-.st month, 

 and there were several dull, misty, and cold 

 days, the actual rainfall for the month would 

 have been comparatively small but for steady 

 and heavy rains on the 24th and 30th ulto- 

 The early spriag rains this season having en- 

 abled the Natives to commence planting much 

 earlier than usual, they appear to be cultivating 

 a greater extent of ground : and if the season 

 should continue favourable, they should reap 

 heavy crops. "But the grub has still to be 

 reckoned with, and, unfortunately, it is very 

 bad, and appears to be getting worse every year. 

 All kinds of stock are now in splendid condi- 

 tion, and, so far as I know, no contagious dis- 

 eases—with the exception of scab— are prevalen', 

 in the Division. 



CHAS. BO^ST, Magistrate, 



ND5VEDWE, 30th November.— During the 

 early part of the month a very large swarm of 

 locusts were moving about the Location, but 

 did little or no damage to crops, and has disap- 

 peared again, Cattle are looking well and free 

 frsm disease. Natives have now planted most 

 of their mabele crops, and are busy with their 

 other crops. They have a fair quantity of the 

 commoD red bean planted this year. We have 

 had unusual weather lately — more like that of 

 25 years ago, The rainfall for the last three 

 months is 15 32 inches, viz. : September, 6'34 

 inches, in 11 days ; highest fall, liO inches, on 

 the 14th. October, 3 77 inches, in IG days ; 

 highest fall, 0"54 inches, on the 18th. November, 



5'21 inches, highest fall being to-day, 110 inches. 

 The temperature during the month has been 

 fairly even ; the thermometer readings are as 

 follows:— Means, minimum, 59 ; maximum. 75''. 

 Minimum, 53'", on 13th ; and maximum, 93", on 

 the 28th. 



Walter H. Acutt, Magistrate. 



NQUTU, 30th November.— During the month 

 rain fell on twelve days with a record of 2'43 

 inches — not such a good fall as could be wished 

 for at this period of the season. The mealie 

 and mabele crops are in most instances now 

 above ground, and a good deal of ploughing— 

 for late crops— is still beinsr indulged in. There 

 are still a fair number of Native herds infected 

 with lungsickness, but the efforts of the Stock 

 Inspector to get the disease in hand are proving 

 effective, and were it not for his having been 

 appointed at an opportune time, the District 

 would by now have been teeming with the 

 disease. Towards the month end a suspicious 

 outbreak of disease amongst some Native stock 

 near Telezi Hill necessitated the services of the 

 Government Veterinary Surgeon being called 

 in, and I am glad to say that he has pronounced 

 the outbreak to be of a non-infectious nature, 

 and not, as was feared, the dreaded " Rinder- 

 pest." Stock are, generally, in first-rate con- 

 dition, and grazing for them is excellent and 

 abundant. During the month a heavy hailstorm 

 was experienced, the stones which fell having 

 been extraordinarily large ; fortunately, beyond 

 the young peaches and other fruits, there was 

 little that could be damaged by it. Heavy 



