GENERAL AGRICULTURAL NOTES. 



,[Sept. 1896. 



were exported 11,584§ tons of butter, valued at 1,081, 243Z-. The 

 output for the shipping season of 1S95-96 only reached 9,386 

 tons in weight and 876,026£. in value. The low price of cheese 

 in England during the season prevented extensive exports being 

 made of this produce, the Australian milk-growers finding it 

 more profitable to convert their milk into butter. 



The efforts made by the Department of Agriculture during 

 the season to encourage the export of a number of other food 

 products, for which it was rightly believed that a profitable 

 market existed in England, if the right quality could only be 

 landed at the right time of year, are said to have been fully 

 justified by the results. 



The complete return of the shipments made through the 

 Yictorian refrigerating depot for the season 1895-96 is as 

 follows : — 



Produce. 



Quantity. 



Estimated 

 Value. 







£ 



Butter - - - 



9,386 tons. 



876,026 



Cheese - 



63- „ 



2,646 



Mutton and lamb - 



92,726 carcases. 



57,953 



Rabbits - 



498,751 pairs. 



29,093 



Hares - 



5,535 „ 



1,107 



Game _____ 



1,515 „ 



190 



Turkeys and geese - 



1,087 „ 



870 



Ducks and chickens - - - - 



5,725| „ 



1,431 



Honey - 



908 cwt. 



1,270 



Eggs- - . - 



21,200 doz. 



795 



Total - 





971,381 



Potato Cultivation. 



An article by M. Camon, Professor of Agriculture for the 

 Department du Nord, which has recently been published in 

 the French Journal Officiel, contains some observations on the 

 cultivation of potatoes. 



In speaking of the custom of cutting up large tubers into 

 "sets" before planting, he observes that in many varieties 

 this division causes no injury, but some, Imperators for example, 

 are unable to stand the operation. When dividing the tubers 

 for planting it is frequently the custom to cut them just before 

 putting into the soil. The wound cannot dry in consequence of 

 the moisture of the soil and the tuber frequently rots and fails to 

 germinate. If it grows, it is often dwarfed or produces leaves 

 which quickly turn yellow. This disease is not new, but it has 

 only been studied of recent years by M. Prillieux, who attributes 

 the cause to a very small bacillus, to which he has given the 



