Jan. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 67 



One of the stumbling blocks is the failure to fix standards. A. grower 

 marks the best fruit in a consignment " first grade," and, notwithstanding 

 that the best fruit in later consignments is not of equal quality, he still 

 marks it " first." If, however, certain standards were fixed for the various 

 grades and rigidly adhered to, the "first," "second," or "third" grade of 

 one consignment would be the same as that of any other consignment. 



Again, the size of frijit alone is generally allowed to be too much the 

 controlling factor in determining the grades, but it is well known that often 

 medium-sized fruit will sell as well as big fruit of the same quality. Hence, 

 the quality determined according to colour and general attractiveness and 

 freedom from blemishes should be the chief factor controlling the grades, 

 although, as very small fruit is generally hard to sell, a limit to the small 

 size should be fixed for the various classes of fruit that would be allowed 

 in first and second grade, and all sizes above that should be classed as 

 first or second according to its quality. 



Apricot drying will have been completed early in the month, and peaches 

 fit for drying will be commencing to ripen towards the end of the month. 

 All fruit for drying should be thoroughly ripe. A bulletin giving detailed 

 instructions for this work may be obtained on application to the Under 

 Secretary and Director, Department of Agriculture, Sydney. 



Pests. 



In districts where codlin moth is troublesome, an extra application of lead 

 arsenate would be advantageous, except on apples and pears that are almost 

 ready for picking. All infested fruit should be regularly collected and 

 destroyed by boiling. It then can be fed to fowls or pigs. 



If red, brown, or wax scale or white louse are bad on citrus trees it may 

 be necessary to treat them this month by either spraying or fumigation. 

 If possible, however, it is preferable to wait till later in the season, when 

 the greater part of the eggs have hatched out. If any deciduous trees are 

 found affected with San Jose scale, spraying with resin wash as soon as the 

 fruit is picked is recommended, but this treatment should be followed by a 

 thorough application of lime-sulphur (winter strength) or miscible oil when 

 the trees are dormant in the winter. 



Bokhara Clover on the Southern Tablelands. 



The success of sweet clover or Bokhara clover {Melilotus alba) for grazing 

 purposes in the New England district was the subject of an article in last 

 issue of this Gazette. Equally encouraging results have been obtained by 

 Mr. J. Chisholm, M unt Darragh, via Cathcart, from a sample j)acket of seed 

 forwarded to him by the Department. Mr. Chisholm writes that the seed 

 was sown on 13th September, 1918. It was cut for cow feed on 1st October of 

 the present year, being then a foot high. On 19th November, its height 

 was 2 feet (growth for seven weeks), and it was being cut for hay. It had a 

 very scented smell when dry, and cattle ate it readily, although there was 

 plenty of grass outside. Chilian clover did well, but did not produce the 

 amount of fodder that Bokhara did. — E. Breakwell. 



