THE DROUGHT IN AUSTRALIA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 89, 13 February 1863, Page 3

THE DROUGHT IN AUSTRALIA.

[From the Melbourne Weekly Age, December 26.] From New South Wales we have this week a good many items with respect to the state of thu crops and the country. In the lllawaira district the drought which has prevailed to a greater or lesser extent throughout the colony still continues, and with no indications of a change. Its effects are being felt with increased intensity, and from all quarters wo hear of cattle dying, on some farms to the extent of more than half of the dairying stock, and thoso cattle that are still alive are in too weak a state to stand the scouring which young grass would produce, even if we should be visited by rain. The prospects of the farmers are, therefore, most deplorable. At Gundaroo, with one or two exceptions, there will be no wheat worth mentioning ; of hay there will be more than was at first expected, in consequence of a considerable number of the settlers having cut a great quantity of their wheat for hay. The lucerne has been nearly all destroyed by the caterpillar. The grasses are all burnt up, and bush fires all round. The river has stopped running, an occurance which has not taken place for about 7 years. At Deniliquin the gardens are dried up, the whole of the vegetablas having been burnt to tinder. There is nothing but the leaves of the grape vine, and they are in danger from ironroads of the grass-hoppers and locusts. By the Murrumbidgce the barren aspect of the country is quite disheartening, and any stranger passing over the plains would much wonder how it could be possible for stock to exist under such unfavourable circumstances. The prospect of any quantity of fat stock from these districts is out of the question ; although there are still some stations which, owing to local advantages, will be able to muster some cattle and sheep for the commencement of the new year. In the west the drought prevails in all its intensity, Water for the cattle is becoming scarce, and feed only to be had in particular localities. The news from Lachlan and Macquarie countries is most disheartening. The grass is perishing in all directions, and the cattle when they make their way down to those rivers, oppressed by long drought, drink till they die in the water holes. Those that have sufficient strength to creep out, in many cases die on the banks. Should the drought continue much longer, the loss to the grazing interest in the Lachlan and Macquarie runs will be enormous, and will be felt by all other interests. At Braidwood, the fruit crops are, to all intents and purposes, a failure. Generally speaking, orchard produce will be exceedingly scarce.