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the necessary funds would be required, lie thought that perhaps some of the funds provided by the Smedley Estate in Hawke's Bay could be utilized for this purpose, as it was the wish of the late Mr. Josiah Howard in making the bequest to the Government to provide facilities for farmers' sons to be given the best training possible in connection with farm-work. The amount bequeathed by the late Mr. Howard was a very large one, the estale being valued at over £100,000, and there was a considerable sum. of money which would be almost immediately available. Reciprocal Arrangement between Department of Agriculture and Lincoln College. We were informed by Dr.- Reakes that lie had met the Lincoln College authorities and discussed with them the possibilities of the Department co-operating with the College in the improvement and breeding of new kinds of seed wheat'and oats. At that meeting a proposal had been made that the Department contribute a substantial sum annually either by way of a subsidy or by paying the salary of an assistant to the.'plant-breeder, and co-operate with the College in this work, the College to carry out the initial work in conjunction with the Department, and any new varieties of seed that would be available for distribution would be supplied to selected farmers in the Canterbury District under Ihe supervision of the Department's officers. It was accordingly resolved to advise you — '.'That the Board, having heard Dr. Reakes's statement re reciprocal arrangements with Lincoln College as to the selection and growth of seed wheat and oats, thoroughly endorse the view that the Government should assist in this work in a substantial manner." Importation into New Zealand of Cattle from Tasmania. We were asked for our views as to the advisability of permitting the importation of cattle from Tasmania into New Zealand. It was thought that a certain amount of hardship had been suffered by some breeders in that they were not allowed to import cattle from that State. It was agreed to recommend that, provided the sanction of the Minister was first received, their importation into New Zealand should be permitted. Californian Quail. A request was received from the Auckland Acclimatization Society (through the Internal Affairs Department) for permission to oapture within the society's district 1,000 quail for transmission to other parts of New Zealand and to Fiji.. The proposal was discussed, and full inquiries made; it was decided to reply that the Board knew of no objection to the society's request being given effect to. Ticks affecting Cattle. The Masterton Branch of the Farmers' Union forwarded the following resolution : — " That the Board of Agriculture be written to drawing-their attention to the danger of the cattle-tick spreading all over New Zealand, and asking them to investigate the matter thoroughly and have the infested districts quarantined." We discussed the question exhaustively with Dr. Reakes, who gave us a full account of the nature and habits of the ticks, and of the extent of their possibilities in causing loss to stockowners in the Dominion. He informed us that the tick which acts as a carrier of tick-fever in Queensland is of a variety known as Boophihts bovis or Boophilus atistralis. In North America the same disease is conveyed by a tick termed Boophilus annulatus or Rhipicephalus annulatus. The ticks found on cattle in New-Zealand are named Ixodes ricinus (popularly termed the "castor-bean" oi' dog tick), and another (the most common of the variety) known as Hamaphysalis. Dr. Reakes further stated that the Department has carried out thorough and exact investiga( ion anil experimental work both on practical and scientific lines, and has verified its conclusions as to the identity of the tick by submitting specimens of them to first-class authorities in Great Britain. It was realized that, as ticks act as conveyors of tick-fever but are not in themselves capable of setting up this disease, the presence of these parasites in New Zealand does not constitute an immediate menace in the form of causing or spreading tick-fever (which has never gained entrance into New Zealand) or any other serious disease of cattle. At the same time, apart from serious disease, they .can, if they become numerous enough, cause depreciation in the value of stock; and moreover, although the stringent quarantine regulations now in force render it unlikely that tick-fever should ever get into the Dominion, yet if it did these ticks would doubtless afford a medium for spreading it, in the same manner as the ticks of a different variety though of similar habits present in Queensland act as carriers (here. After a lengthy discussion as to the bestmeans to be adopted to cope with (he trouble it was decided to forward to you the following resolution : — ' That the Hon. Minister of Agriculture bo recommended to have regulations made making it compulsory in the case of the North Island for any owner of cattle to notify the Inspector of the district if he has reason to think, that any of his cattle are infested with any form of ticks; that on the Inspector of the district stating that the cattle are so infested, making it obligatory on the owner to dip them in an approved dipping solution, or otherwise so treat the cattle under inspection as to destroy all ticks upon them." To carry this out regulations are necessary, and proposals regarding these were discussed. Proposed Introduction into the Dominion of Alpacas, Vicunas, and Llamas. The Secretary of Agriculture wrote the Board asking for our opinion as. to the advisability of permitting the introduction into the Dominion of vicunas, alpacas, and llamas. It was pointed out that both llamas and alpacas had been imported some years ago, and they had proved of no