312 



FOREIGN AND COLONIAL OFFICE REPORTS. [Dec. 1896: 



sheep," he says, " are going every month from the River Plate 

 to England, why not from the Falkland Islands ? We are right 

 on the track of homeward-bound Australian and New Zealand 

 steamers, and I feel certain that these could be induced to call 

 and pick up deck loads of sheep. This Colony is favourably 

 located for the purpose, as it has several fine harbours in most 

 central and convenient situations." 



Boiling down for the tallow is carried on at some six stations, 

 three of which have complete plant for the purpose. Some 

 25,000 carcases were boiled down in 1895, but this number will 

 be largely increased in 1896, as no frozen meat will be exported. 



The Colony is eminently adapted for sheep farming, and sheep 

 farming only. It is abundantly supplied with natural grasses, 

 no artificial kinds having ever been introduced. Sheep farms are 

 exempt from many drawbacks which other countries have to* 

 contend against, such as droughts, want cf facilities for transports 

 footrot in sheep, and, last but not least, rabbits. These latter 

 are not regarded here as a pest, being only found on small 

 islands, and even there they are dying off, possibly, it is said,, 

 from some disease of the liver. 



The quantities and values of the total exports in connexion 

 with the Stock Department in the past, year are shown as 

 follows : — 



£ s. 



Wool, 4,024,500 lbs. - - 100,612 10 



Frozen mutton, 19,432 carcases - 6,801 4 

 Sheep skins, 80,230 skins - 10,028 6 



Tallow, 329,900 lbs. - - 2,749 0 



Hides, 1,592 - - 796 0 



Total - - - 120,987 0 



[Colonial Reports, No. 175. C.-7944-27. Price ljd] 



Agriculture in Rotjmania. 



The Foreign Office has issued a report on the trade of Roumania, 

 drawn up by Mr. Hamilton Browne, second secretary of Her 

 Majesty's Legation at Bucharest, from which the following 

 particulars relating to the agriculture of the country are taken. 



Roumanin, as is well known, is essentially an agricultural 

 country, and its resources are to a very great extent due to the 

 richness of its crops, springing from a fertile soil, which, as a rule, 

 requires no manuring. Roughly speaking, however, not more 

 than half the country is under cultivation, 10 of its districts 

 being thickly wooded, while 20 are arable. 



The chief produce of the country is maize, which is sown in 

 large quantities and forms the staple food of the peasants, the 

 residue being employed in the manufacture of spirits and as food 

 for swine. That which is not consumed in the country is exported 



