Agricultural Statistics of Victoria. 91 



It was estimated that nearly 62 million pounds of wool, 

 valued at ^3,500,000, were produced in the colony in 1899. 

 These figures represent the total quantity exported and wool 

 used in manufacture in the colony, less the quantity imported. 

 The wool referred to is not homogeneous in quality, some 

 being greasy and some washed or scoured. In Victoria the 

 average weight of a greasy fleece is estimated by experts at 

 5 1 lbs. for merino, and 6 lbs. for crossbred and long wool ; 

 but the fleece of the former sometimes weighs as much as 

 gh lbs., and of the latter 9 lbs. 



The average duration of farm leases in Victoria is now 

 from 2 to 5j years, and the average rental per acre in 1900 

 was from 5s. o-Jd. to 23s. ifd, for arable land, and from 

 is. 9fd. to 8s. for pastoral land. The average weekly rate of 

 wages withrations in 1900 was as follows: Ploughmen, 18s. 2d.; 

 farm labourers, 16s. 6d.; married couples, 22s. 4d.; female ser- 

 vants, 9s. 5d.; mowers, 24s. 4d. [or 5s. per acre); reapers, 26s. 8d. 

 (or 7s. 8d. per acre). Threshers were paid 3d., and hop 

 pickers 3^d. per bushel ; and maize pickers 4d. per bag, 

 without rations. The following rates per acre were paid for 

 machine labour : Machine reaping, with binding, 6s., and 

 4s. 3d. without binding. 



The latest general statistics of farm animals relate to the 

 year 1895, but the following estimate of the numbers of dairy 

 stock and swine are recorded for the year 1899-1900— viz. : 

 465,469 cows on arable and dairy farms ; 73,253 heifers in 

 calf; 243,593 heifers under twelve months old ; and 227,309 

 pigs. The total quantity of milk produced during the year 

 was estimated at 147 million gallons, giving an average of 

 3i6'6 gallons per cow. The number of " cowkeepers " is 

 returned at 31,132. There were 3,500 cream separators in 

 use on the farms. 



The live stock slaughtered during the year 1899 consisted 

 of 2,558,000 sheep and lambs, 250,000 cattle and calves, and 

 193,000 pigs. The number frozen, preserved, or salted was 

 as follows : Sheep and lambs, 500,000 ; pigs, 104,000; cattle 

 and calves, 2,400. 



There were 3,000 bee keepers in the colony in 1899. They 

 owned 22,000 hives, of which 8,650 were non-productive. The 



