The total number of sheep slaughtered in New South Wales and Victoria during the five years ended 1896 is shown below. These are the only colonies for which it is possible to give complete slaughtering

The value of the sheep depastured in Australasia, on the basis of the average prices ruling in 1897, was £46,665,000, thus distributed among the various provinces :—

Except in Queensland, cattle-breeding in the Australasian colonies is secondary to that of sheep. Indeed, in New South Wales in 1896 the number of the herds was even less than in 1861, the decrease amounting to 45,760, equivalent to 0.06 per cent. per annum, while during the period of thirty-five years population increased at the rate of 3-75 annually. The lowest point was reached in 1885, when the herds only numbered 1,317,315, the result partly of continuous bad seasons, but principally of the more profitable character of sheep-farming, which had induced graziers on many runs to substitute sheep for cattle. From that period there has been a gradual although small improvement, which has seemed to indicate a disposition on the part of pastoralists in some parts of the colony to devote more attention to cattle-breeding. The number of cattle in the province in 1861 was exceeded, but the droughts experienced during the last two seasons have reduced the herds to their present proportions. The progress of Victoria in the breeding

of cattle has been steady; but although the total number was nearly three times as great in 1896 as it was thirty-five years before, the position occupied by the colony in relation to the other provinces remained much the same as in 1861. Queensland has largely increased its herds, and now possesses 51.2 per cent. of the total cattle of the whole group. New Zealand and Western Australia show decided improvement, the annual rate of increase in those colonies being nearly equal to that of sheep.

The following table shows the number of cattle in 1861 and 1896, with the yearly increase per cent. during the intervening period, as well as the rate of growth of the population. The figures for Victoria refer to 1894—the last year for which returns were collected :—

The previous table shows the growth in the number of cattle during the period extending from 1861 to 1896. A more detailed comparison for recent years is afforded by the next table, showing the number in each colony at the close of each year since 1887. As will be seen, returns were not collected in three of the provinces-Victoria, South Australia, and New Zealand-for several years under review :

The number of cattle slaughtered in New South Wales and Victoria during each of the five years ended 1896 is shown in the following table. These are the only colonies for which complete information regarding the slaughter of live stock is available :

The value of the cattle in Australasia, on the basis of the average prices ruling in 1897, was £53,646,000, thus divided amongst the various provinces :

Australasia is eminently fitted for the breeding of most descriptions of horses, and attention has long been directed to this industry. At an early period the stock of colonial-bred horses was enriched by the importation of some excellent thoroughbred Arabians from India, and to this cause the high name which was acquired by the horses of Australia was largely due. The abundance of good pasture everywhere obtainable also contributed to this result. The native kangaroo-grass, especially when in seed, is full of saccharine matter, and young stock thrive excellently upon it. This abundance of natural provender permitted a large increase in the stock of the settlers, which would have been of great advantage had it not been that the general cheapness of horses led to a neglect of the canons of breeding. In consequence of the discovery of gold, horses became very high priced. Under ordinary conditions this circumstance would have been favourable to breeding, and such was actually the case in Victoria. In New South Wales, however, it was far otherwise. The best of its stock, including a large proportion of the

most valuable breeding mares, was taken by Victoria, with the result that for twenty years after the gold rush the horses of the mother colony greatly deteriorated. One class of stock only escaped-the thoroughbred racer, which was probably improved both by the importation of fresh stock from England, and by the judicious selection of

mares.

The colonies are specially adapted to the breeding of saddle and lightharness horses, and it is doubtful whether these particular breeds of Australasian horses are anywhere surpassed. The bush horse is hardy and swift, and capable of making very long and rapid journeys when fed only on the ordinary herbage of the country; and in times of drought, when the grass and water have become scanty, these animals often perform astonishing feats of endurance. Generally speaking, the breed is improving, owing to the introduction of superior stud horses and the breeding from good mares. Where there has been a deterioration in the stock, it has been due to breeding from weedy mares for racing purposes and to the effects of drought.

Although the demand in India is fair, and Australia is a natural market from which supplies may be derived, the speculation of sending horses there is one open to many risks, as, apart from the dangers of the voyage, there is always an uncertainty as to the stock being accepted. Owing, therefore, to the limited foreign demand, it has not been found advantageous to breed horses except for local requirements.

The following table shows the number of horses in each colony at the end of 1861 and 1896, also the proportion to the total at each period. In 1861 New South Wales possessed 50.7 per cent. of all the horses in Australasia, Victoria being second, with 18.3 per cent. In 1896 New South Wales still held the leading position as regards numbers, but its proportion to the whole had fallen to 26:5 per cent. Queensland and New Zealand exhibit relatively the most progress, having increased their respective proportions from 6.3 and 6.2 per cent. in 1861 to 23.5 and 13.0 per cent. in 1896 ::

The value of horses in the various colonies is estimated as follows:

THE FLOCKS AND HERDS OF THE WORLD.

The following table gives the flocks and herds of each of the great divisions of the globe. The returns are the latest available, and, with the exception of those for Australasia, are based on figures given in the report of the Statistician to the American Department of Agriculture :

STOCK-CARRYING CAPACITY OF AUSTRALASIA.

None of the colonies is stocked to its full capacity; indeed, in the large territory of Western Australia and in the Northern Territory of South Australia the process has only begun. A clear idea of the comparative extent to which each colony is stocked cannot be given unless the different kinds of animals are reduced to a common value. Assuming, therefore, that one head of large stock is equivalent to ten sheep, and expressing cattle and horses in terms of sheep, it will be found that the number of acres to a sheep in each colony is as follows :—