626 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [Sep. 2, 1920. 



Good Investments — Big Ueturns. 



The Department of Agriculture through the woik of these bureaus makes for 

 its stockholders — the people of the United States — a profit of several times 

 1,000 per cent, per year for all the money invested in it. As evidence that 

 it is paying big returns, I will give but a few typical items out of a large 

 number that could be cited. We spent 250,000 dollars establishing durum 

 wheat in this country. The durum wheat now produced in this country is 

 worth .50,000,000 dollars a year. We spent less than 200,000 dollars intro- 

 ducing a rice and establishing the industry in California ; the rice crop in 

 that State is now worth 21,000,000 dollars a year. We spent 40,000 dollars 

 introducing Egyptian cotton, breeding it up and establishing the industry in 

 the arid regions of the south-west. The American-Egyptian cotton crop is now 

 worth 20,000,000 dollars a year, and is increasing every y^'ar. We discovered 

 a serum that prevents hog cholera, and its use, as demonstrated by the 

 Department, has reduced the losses from that disease by 40,000,000 dollars a 

 year. 



We searched the world for grain crops that could be grown in the south- 

 west where corn does not succeed. We spent a few thousand dollars in 

 introducing the grain and forage sorghums. Last year 125,000,000 bushels 

 of Kafir and other grain sorghums were produced there. — E. T. Mekedith, 

 Secretary of Agriculture, U.S.A. 



Grass, Millet, and Sorghum Trials at Prospect. 



Mr. G. H. Boswell, Brifrhton Grove, Prospect, who, during last season, 

 co-operated with the Department in carrying out trials with different foddt-r 

 plants, obtained three cuts from Sudan grass, the crop at the first cut being 

 6 feet 6 inches high, at the second 4 feet 3 inches, and at the third 3 feet 

 9 inches. Of the sweet sorghums, Planter's Friend did best, reaching a 

 height of 9 feet, while Saccaline only grew to 6 feet. Among the grain 

 sorghums, Milo yielded veiy fine heads. As the grain makes excellent 

 poultry-feed, poultry-farmers might well give this crop a trial. Among the 

 millets, Japanese did best at 4 feet 6 inches high, and of the introduced 

 grasses Perennial rye, Faupdlum dilatatum (6 feet high), and Kentucky blue 

 grass stood out prominently, while among the native grasses, the Love 

 grasses (Eragrostis spp.) Kangaroo, Early S{)ring {EriocMoa polystachya), and 

 Danthonia were very promising in appearance. — E. Breakwell. 



The Treatment or Roofing Iron. 



I HAVE a quantity of galvanized rooting iron that has been badly splashed 

 with coal tar. How could I remove the tar and then cover the iron with 

 paint or red oxide ? 



The re]jly of the Over.seer of Works was that tliere was no need to remove 

 the tar, as the red oxide would cover it. A paint made of boiled linseed oil 

 and cement mixed together to the usual tliickness of paint could also be used, 

 being put on in the usual way. 



