Oct. 2, 1908.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.IT. 807 



Cheese-packing in Crates. 



The amount of handhiiL; that cheeses coming from the South Coast get in 

 transit, and the condition tliey arrive in — after being rolled ahout the 

 wliarves and in the steamers' hold without any covering — as a rule, is 

 anything but enticing to the eye of the consumer. Cheeses that arrive on 

 the Sydney market from Victorian and Queensland factories are packed in 

 crates, and present a clean and neat appearance. How nmch more inviting 

 to the consumer would our cheese look if packed in crates, not to mention 

 anything of the damage which would be prevented thereby as compared with 

 present methods of shipping ! It is nothing r.nusual to see piles of cheese 

 standing four or five deep on the wharves or in the sheds, and in warm 

 weather it often happens that the bottom row is squashed out of shape, and 

 sometimes rendered unsaleable : in fact, it is indeed surprising that these 

 indifferent methods should go on from year to year when a crate suitable for 

 all requirements, to hold a hundredweight of cheese, can be obtained at a 

 cost of about lOd. or Is. 



An Experiment with Lucerne and Pea Cultures. 



During the latter part of last year, Mr. O. Halliger, Bective, near Tamworth, 

 obtained from the Department of Agriculture a small quantity^ of Dr. Moore's 

 nitrogen-fixing bacteria, prepared according to this gentleman's formula in 

 the chemical laboratory of the Department by Mr. F. B. Guthrie. Writing 

 to the Department, Mr. Halliger reports as follows : — "The garden peas I 

 inoculated have done wonderfully^ well. Two patches were put in and grown 

 under precisely similar conditions. Every plant of the inoculated peas grew, 

 some to a height of 4 feet 6 inches, and bore plenty^ of sound, large pods. 

 The I'oots were covered with well-developed nodules, and on some roots they 

 were very large. 



" Nearly two-thirds of the uninoculated plants died after being above 

 ground for about fourteen days, the plants that did live were miserable and 

 produced only a few small jaods. The experiment with the Lucerne culture 

 was a failure owdng to excessive rain and floods." Further trials of this 

 culture will be awaited with interest. 



Ml'. Keating, Public School, Bective, had an opportunity of visiting and 

 inspecting Mr. Halliger's experiment plot and confirms the statement regarding 

 the excess of growth on the inoculated over the uninoculated peas. 



