38o West Australian Statistics. 



of the value of ;£'i5i,298 ; 54 per cent, of which was produced 

 in the South Island. In 1895-96 the exports of this article 

 amounted to 67,272 cwts., valued at ;£i2i,993. An increase 

 was reported in the number of dairy factories and creameries 

 in operation in September of the present year, the total being- 

 318 compared with 283 in 1896, and 223 in the previous year. 

 The number of factories was 184 against 137 in 1895, whilst 

 the number of creameries had inrreased from 86 to 1 34. Two- 

 thirds of these establishments are situated in North Island, 

 the number in the South Island being only 104. 



The Board have received from the Government of Western 



,„ ^ Australia a copy of the abstract of the 



Western 



Australian Agricultural and Live Stock Returns of 

 Agricultural the Colony for the year 1896-97. At the 

 close of the agricultural year on the 

 28th February last, the total area under crops amounted to 

 111,738 acres (the corresponding figure in 1887 was 66,163 

 acres) and if there be added 4,000 acres under permanent 

 artificially sown grasses, 25,000 acres cleared and prepared 

 for immediate use, and 23,000 acres of land in fallow, the 

 total arable area was 163,000 acres. The principal crops 

 were represented as follows : — Hay of all kinds, 69,000 acres ; 

 wheat, 31,000 acres; barley, 1,903 acres; oats, 1,753 acres; 

 vines, 2,294 acres ; orchards and gardens, 2,393 acres. The 

 live stock returns were collected on the 31st December, 1896, 

 and gave the following results : — 57,527 horses, 199,793 

 cattle, of which nearly 35,000 were calves under one year old ; 

 31,154 pigs, 2,248,976 sheep and lambs, 3,984 camels, 104 

 donkeys and mules, and 4,027 goats. 



One of the most successful co-operative dairies in Belgium 

 is situated at Oostcamp-les- Bruges, and 

 A Co-operative ^^^^ operation since the year 



Flanders 1886. The butter from this farm has 

 sold at an average price of is. o\d. per 

 pound during the present year. The profits are divided as 

 follows : One half to the shareholders, who hold one share 



