Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/390

 acquainted with the local diffieiilty of raising grain for the annual supply of those neeessaril}^ victualled from the puhlic atores/' In times of plenty settlers grumbled if the government declined to buy a soperabundance of grain. Wlien there were losses by reason of drought, or of flood » forestallers ground down the settlers, and the existence of a reserve of government grain was of incalculable value. When the flood of 1805 occurred, the stores of 1805 (35,510 bushels of wheat, and 96,080 of maize) averted famine, and even after the drahi upon the resources of the government in 1806 there were nearly 5000 bushels of wheat, and more than the same number of maize in stock. In modern times, when high prices are given for well- bred stock, it is interesting to look back upon the casual and heterogeneous importations in the infancy of the colony. Cattle were taken originally hy Phillip from the Cape of Good Hope. What was called the ** small Buffalo breed" was afterwards imported from Calcutta at various times. A Spanish ship left an Andalusian cow in 1794. ^ An Englisli bull and cow, ueither of which had horns, were ■ sent in 171)6 from St. Helena, and ''much improved the " herds in the colony/' When Mr. Blaxland arrived in 1806 he was astonished at the excellence of the progeny of the St. Helena bull. A disease broke out in time of drought in 180B. *' A spongy substance**^^ appeared on the tongae which prevented the cattle from eating. On its removal disease in the foot followed, which extended to the sheep. A few animals died, but on the Ijreaking up of the drought al! disease disappeared Clover and lucerne were cultivated, the latter **yieldiii;; at least four cuttiogs a-year," bat few farmers used it because it was intolerant of being depastured upon. Governor Phillip carried horses from the Cape of Good Hope in the first fleet. Before 1800 Arab and Persian stallions were imported from the East Indies. In 1802 •• The text h qiioteti from King The Stjdneu^ Gazette (27th Nov. 18031 recortled that the difieasB appeared anions wni kinj; cattle at Piiri'amattft, ttiid that it ** afiecttul the creiitiire first in the ton^ie and in the inter- stices of the hoof.'* Nearly three-^juartcra of a century elapsed l^foi-e the " foot and month*' diaeaae became an object of terror to colonists appre- hcnsive of its importation.