1 Dec., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, 471 
the Department would be glad to receive samples of red, white, black, and 
yellow maize, both in the cob and shelled, te be applied to a similar purpose at 
Barlscourt. Any persons who haye such maize in their possession would 
greatly oblige the Department by forwarding what they can spare as early as 
possible, as there is not too much time now in which to complete the work of 
preparation. 
THE PRICE OF WHEAT. 
Now that the farmers have got some of their wheat threshed, the important 
question will arise: “ What price will wheat be this season?” This can at 
present be only a matter for conjecture, for it depends principally on the 
quantity which will be available for export. I it should turn out that the 
yield, at all events in the Southern Colonies, is equal to if not greater than 
that of last year, which it may be, notwithstanding the numerous failures, then 
an outside market must be found; and once we go beyond Australasia for 
our customers, we are faced with the fact that we no longer fix our own 
prices—they are ruled by those of the great antipodean wheat-producing 
countries. Amongst wheat-producers, Australasia counts for very little. To 
the 2,210,800,000 bushels produced by Europe, Asia, America, and Africa, 
Australasia added but 26,800,000 bushels; thus the whole of the seven colonies 
only produced 1:2 per cent. of the whole crop. The exporting colonies are 
Victoria, South Australia, New Zealand, and probably now New South Wales. 
Their wheats must compete with those of Russia, France, America, &c. The 
Russian crop has been a bad one. France will probably barely grow sufficient 
for her own requirements. The North American crop is well reported on, as 
are also the crops in South America. 
Wheat at present is worth in Sydney 3s.4d. to 3s. 5d. for good full grain ; 
3s. 3d. for good average quality, and 8s. for off grades. In Melbourne the 
price ranges from 8s. 23d. to 8s. 3d. per bushel. The question of holding or 
of at once selling is a matter for the farmer to decide, but it must not be 
forgotten that our millers will buy in the cheapest market, and will not hold 
themselves patriotically bound to take Queensland wheat unless the grain and 
the price are to their hiking. 
KANGAROO TAILS. 
Just twelve months ago there arrived for the first time in England a consign- 
ment of kangaroo tails. ‘They were consigned to a salesman of Leadenhall 
Market, and as soon as they reached his hands he found ready customers for 
them. ‘The consignment consisted of some 500 tails, packed in boxes of fifty 
each, The public discovered that the tail of a kangaroo made into soup was a 
very succulent dish, rich and highly nutritious, and, like Oliver Twist, they 
asked for more, but the stock of 500 caudal appendages was soon exhausted. 
The tail of the kangaroo is not an expensive luxury, as it is sold at the rate of 
about 1s. perlb. The supply is, of course, a restricted one, as the kangaroo 
inhabits the bush, and cold-air stores are a considerable distance from the 
country districts. Consequently, kangaroo-tail soup will never be a familiar. 
item on a city menu.—City Press. 
THE HOP CROPS OF THE WORLD. 
Tux following is Messrs. W. H. and H. Le May’s annual report on the hop 
crops of the world:—We have again the pleasure to address to you our annual 
circular on the hop crop of the world, the first pickings of which are just 
coming to market. 
We have made (if possible, more than usual) a most exhaustive examina- 
tion of the hop grounds of England, and from the personal knowledge thus 
gained, and the information we have received from our foreign correspondents, 
we believe we are ina position to give an accurate forecast of the crop as 
compared with that of last year, 
Never before, even in the memory of the oldest hop-grower, has there 
been such a persistent and prolonged attack of aphis blight in the hop gardens 
of England, which commenced early in, May, and was only finally conquered 
