Aug. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W, 601 



Agricultural Bureau of New South Wales* 



SUGGESTED SUBJECTS FOR BUREAU MEETINGS. 



It sometimes happens that, owing to some inadvertence, members of branches 

 meet without having any particular subject before them. In such a case 

 one of the following paragraphs may provoke a useful discussion, and a brief 

 report of the discussion will often interest other branches. 



What month do. you prefer to begin fallowing land for wheat, and what factors 

 influence you in choosing the month ? Do you consider anything is gained by 

 waiting until the spring ? When do you give the first surface cultivation of the 

 fallow, and does the date on which you start ploughing the fallow have any 

 influence on the date when you first cultivate the surface ? 



Is there power in any form runfiing to waste on your farm ? In some cases 

 a very small outlay would perhaps light the farm with electricity, or even drive 

 a chaffing machine. Have you considered how advantage might be taken of it ? 



What points do you observe, if any, in selecting seed ears of maize from the 

 barn ? Are there any visible or easily identified characters of seed ears which, 

 in your opinion, indicate high yielding capacity ? 



In some localities Wickson plum is an erratic cropper. Where the crops 

 have been good, have you seen anything that suggests that interpollination may 

 be the cause ? Have you observed any better results where it is planted close to 

 Burbank ? 



Shiro is generally a fairly heavy cropper, but in odd cases it is disappointing. 

 Have you any reason that may connect cross-pollination or late frosts, or anything 

 else, with these variations ? 



What substitute foods have you tried in the poultry yard, and have you been 

 satisfied with the results, or do you think some alteration could have been made 

 with advantage ? Has barley been satisfactory as part of the grain feed 1 



REPORTS AND NOTICES FROM BRANCHES. 



NOTE. — While gladly publishing in these columns the views of members of 

 the various Branches of the Agricultural Bureau, the Department does 

 not necessarily endorse the opinions expressed. 



Auburn. 



Approval has been given for the establishment of a branch of the Bureau 

 at Auburn, and the first meeting of members was held on 12th June. Mr. 

 J. J. Pratt, secretary, reports that there was a fair attendance, and a dis- 

 cussion took place on how to lay out a cottage garden, following on a paper 

 read by Mr. Geo. Sommerville. 



A novelty was introduced by one of the members who illustrated how egg 

 shells could be used to germinate tomato seeds. Many aspects of vegetable 

 gardening were di&cussed by the members. Sevei-al attractive specimen 

 roses, carnations, and other flowers, and a good sample of locally-grown 

 onions were exhibited, the last being sold to supplement the funds of 

 the branch. 



