38o 



West Australian Statistics. 



of the value of £1 5 1,298 ; 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 ^121,993. 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 134. 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 has been in operat i on s i nce t h e year 

 Dairy in 



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 



