788 Agricultural Gazette of X.S.W . [iYor.[2, 1920. 



other districts for his seed, and finds it a very ditiicult matter to get it true 

 to name, of decent size, and free from disease. Exjierinients to detennine the 

 most eeonomieal size of set have been conducted from time to time, and the 

 most satlsfMctory results have been obtained from the medium-sized tuber 

 cut into two and with at least two well developed " ej'es." The tendency is 

 to sow sets much too small for the production of vigorous plants, and to use 

 very small whole tubers. This cannot be too strongly condemned as a general 

 farm practice; and more particularly in those districts where the crop is 

 sown for seed. It is possible that small tubers may include a small propor- 

 tion of the best strains of a variety, but they are, for the most part, the 



,11 , 1 a 1 . 1 . .1 • . i _ ,1 .1 .... ,1 , 1 I c 1,4. 



^^ oi Ciiit-.->» tiasli oi an Uiiseieuwra vuneu^ ucveiupcU Lijujuji^ii jcaib ui pialiC 



variation. The persistent use of small seed, year after year, can have but 

 one result — the rapid deterioration of the variety thus perpetuated by the 

 steady anrl certain process of elimination of all the superior strains of that 

 variety. Tubers may be small because of overcrowding or through some 

 unfavourable condition, but if they are from a high-yielding plant they will 

 give satisfactory results. It is the use of the tuber that is small because of 

 inherent inferiority that causes varieties to deteriorate, or, as it is generally 

 termed, " run out." In those districts where seed saving is possible there 

 should be a continuity of seed selection, aiming at gradual constant improve- 

 ment of the varieties found by experiment to be mo.st suitable for the 

 locality. 



"Pot Boileks" on the Murrumbidgee Irrigation 

 , Areas. 



Although certain crop.s may be termed "pot boilers," the tendency on the 

 irrigation areas is to turn these crops into more permanent features — in 

 other- words, to make r> regular crop of something that at first was intended 

 only to give a return until the fai'in became productive. 



Two chief lines offer themselves to settlers at the present time, viz., 

 fruit-growing and dairying (including pigs). With either of these industries 

 the yearly return is supplemented by an improvement in the capital value 

 of the farm — in the case of fruit-growing the fruit furnishes the income and 

 the trees the improving capital value, while in the case of dairying the milk 

 corresponds to the first and the natural increase in the h^rd to the second. 

 With other lines, such as hay-growing, tobacco, peas, Sudan grass, and so 

 foitli, th(! annual return is removed from the land, but nothing remains to 

 foster the capital account. Doubtless, lucerne on the best soils would be a 

 uood paying proposition, provided the farmer could afford to hold his hay over 

 a good season, but even there the land has to be worked up and resown after 

 a few years. One hears of different farmers, chiefiy orchardists, keeping 

 things going during the period of development by growing different side 

 lines, but if the side lines were made regular farm crops the production 

 would soon be greater than the demand. — A. N. Shkphekd, Assistant 

 Inspector of Agriculture. 



