Feb. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 143 



Diseases. 



San Jose scale, codlin moth, woolly aphis, and scale insects of citrus trees 



are the principal insect pests which require attention this month. Growers 



in doubt as to any disease attacking their trees should either communicate 



with the district Fruit Inspector or forward specimens to the Department of 



Agriculture withoiit delay. 



Irrigation. 



Dry seasons occur at intervals in our coastal districts. The result is that 

 very often bearing citrus trees suffer considerably, causing them to drop their 

 fruit. Some experienced growers have installed small pumping plants with a 

 view to supplying the necessary moisture when dry periods prevail. One 

 cannot too highly recommend this procedure, as for a very long time there has 

 been need of overcoming the difficulty of protracted dry weather. Trees or 

 vines which have not had an application of water for some time will, in all 

 probability, require one this month in districts where there has been no 

 recent rain. In applying water, the land should be well soaked to a good 

 depth, and imraediatf ly the soil is dry enough, the cultivator should be put 

 at work and the land well stirred by at least two cultivations after each 

 irrigation. Cultivation should be completed five days after irrigating. 



Cover Crops. 



Th3 sowing of cover crops appears to be a satisfactory means of increasing 

 the organic matter in many of our lighter coastal sf ils. Arrangements should 

 now be made to procure seed for sowing and to prepare the land. No doubt 

 there will be seme difficulty experienced in obtaining such seed as vetches 

 and other legumes, unless provision be made immediately. Fruitgrowers 

 are, however, not confined to legumes, as Skinless barley, rye and rape are 

 satisfactory for turning imder. 



The Department and Elephant Grass. 



Elephant grass (otherwise Napier's Fodder), a native of Africa, has 

 only in recent years attracted attention as a fodder plant, and it was not till 

 ten years ago that the South Africans commenced to cultivate it for that 

 purpose. When, two or three years later, the reports of the South African 

 trials were published,' the New South Wales Department of Agriculture 

 introduced it into this State, and its behaviour at once recommended it to 

 farmers as well as to officers of the Department, a report by Mr. E. Breakwell, 

 Agrostologist, in the Agricultural Gazette of July, 1917, setting out quite 

 phenomenal results. The reports were evidently perused with profit in the 

 United States of America, for the May issue of the Philadelphia Country 

 Gentleman relates how a farmer in California obtained seed from the New 

 South Wales Department, and describes with enthusiasm the remarkable 

 growth he obtained. The Department has thus not only introduced the 

 grass into New South Wales, but has contributed to its use in other lands. 



