604 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [Aug. 2, 1920. 



Mr. H. E. Wickham has resigned his position of secretary owing to his 

 departure from the district, and his duties will be carried out by Mr. B. F. 

 Renaut. 



Holbrook. 



A pruning demonstration was held at the orchard of Mr. J. Rule on 

 6th July. Mr. H. A. Mills, Fruit Inspector, was the demonstrator. There 

 ■was a fair attendance, chiefly of persons interested in fruit-growing, Mr. 

 Jas. S. Stewart, secretary, presiding. 



Mr. Stewart, in introducing Mr. Mills, enlarged on the advantages of the 

 Bureau, pointing out that the Department of Agriculture was most anxious 

 that the benefits of its officers" knowledge should be brought right to the 

 doors of those desirous of acquii'ing up-to-date methods. It behoved farmers 

 to take a keener interest in the Bureau. 



Mr. Mills then pruned sevei'al apple, pear, plum, apricot, and peach trees, 

 and wound up with the pruning of grape vines. Questions were asked and 

 satisfactorily answered, chiefly with respect to the different kinds of pruning 

 and the necessary solutions and their preparation for all pests of the orchard. 



Kellyville. 



At the May meeting a demonstration in veterinary science was given by 

 Mr. F. Whitehouse, B.V.Sc, of the Stock Branch. Mr. Whitehouse gave 

 an interesting and educational demonstration on a horse lent by one of the 

 members. He dealt with the different ailments, and also gave advice as to 

 points to be observed when buying a horse. 



Lidcombe. 



A meeting was held on 14th June, there being an attendance of thirty-two 

 members. A lecture v^as given by Mr. A. Brooks, Woiks Overseer of the 

 Department of Agriculture, on house drainage. Mr. Brooks' remarks related 

 to the discharge of house sewage in districts where no system such as 

 exists in the metropolitan area is in existence. He recommended that glazed 

 E.W. drainage pipes be laid from such points as the bath, basin, sink, and 

 wash tubs to a small pit or tank, suitably situated in the vegetable garden, 

 and from this, as an overflow, a line with branches of agricultural porous 

 pipes should be laid so that the affluence from the tank could be taken up b}' 

 the cultivated soil in the garden. 



The action and operation of the septic tank was fully explained, but it 

 was p6inted out that any such system as that outlined must not have storm 

 or rain water enter it, otherwise it would be a failure. Blackboard illustra- 

 tions were used in connection with the laying of the drain pipes and the 

 construction of overground channels, for use in positions where the pipes 

 could not be used owing to the contour of the land. The disposal of sewage 

 had been a contentious matter for generations, and in connection with the 

 sewage of the city some of the known eflfectual systems of rendering it 

 innocuous might have to be resorted to in the near future. 



March. 



Mr. Meier, Orchardist at Bathurst Hxperiment Farm, gave a pruning 

 demonstration at the orchard of Mr. Thomas Boulton on 17th June. The 

 demonstration was well attended and is reported to have been interesting 

 and instructive. 



