Schools op Agriculture and Experiment Stations. 501 • 



ELSENBURG, MULDER'S VLEI, CAPE. 



Climatic- — The chief feature of the month was the exceptionally large 

 rainfall, a precipitation of 7.625 inches being recorded up to the 25th instant. 

 This is the greatest rainfall for»tlie month of June since 1905, when 8.12 inches 

 were received (during the entire month). The normal average for June is 

 4.55 inches. Strong northerly breezes and fairly cold weather were experienced, 

 the maximum temperature recorded being 73° F. on the 2nd instant, and the 

 minimum 33° F. on the 1st. 



Field Operations and Crops. — The ploughing and seeding operations planned 

 for early in June were seriously delayed by the exces.sive wetness of the lands. 

 There still remain some 50 acres of farm land to be ploughed and 100 acres to 

 be seeded. Cereal crops seeded before the wet spell are looking fairly well, 

 though held back somewhat by the cold. Fields carrying rape and imported 

 vetch show poor germination, in the latter case only about 20 per cent. Lucerne 

 has grown well and is at present of great value to the lambing ewes. The 

 pruning of fruit trees and vines was started during the month, but owing to 

 bad weather not much could be done. Grafted vines are at present being trans- 

 ferred from the nursery to the main vineyard. 



Experimental Division. — The greater portion of the field experiments had 

 been planted under favourable weather conditions, but two ranges of " mixed 

 fodder " experiments and one range carrying various green manures were held 

 over pending the arrival of Hairy Vetch and English Winter Vetch seed. These 

 three ranges were planted rather late in the month, under weather conditions 

 anything but favourable. Three one-sixth acre plots were seeded to barley 

 varieties, and some one hundred and fifty test rows of wheat and oats were also 

 planted. The latter represent the end of single-ear selections made in 1918 and 

 planted for the first time during 1919 season. 



The heavy rains caused rather serious erosion in several of the experimental 

 ranges. 



Live Stock. — All live stock suffered more or less owing to the wet and cold 

 weather. Natural grazing is still of very little value, and the grazing crops 

 are not sufficiently advanced to be used as yet. The condition of the cattle 

 is fair, but milk yields dropped considerably. The lambing season started at 

 the beginning of the month. The percentage lambing is very satisfactory, but 

 many losses occurred through exposure. The cross-bred lambs are fine and 

 healthy on the whole, but the Murrays appeared very weak at birth, and 

 deformities occurred in several cases. To date no Suffolk lambs have been 

 dropped. Several sows farrowed during the month, and accommodation at 

 Elsenburg is becoming too limited. For this reason a lot of young pigs were 

 removed to Mariendahl. 



Investigational Work. — Investigations in regard to the changes taking place 

 in the mixtures of (1) superphosphate and bone-dust, (2) superphosphate, bone- 

 dust, and Government guano, showed that the decrease in water solubility of 

 the phosphoric oxide after six weeks is negligible (less than 1 per cent.), contrary 

 to popular belief. 



Extension Work. — Eight samjjles of fertilizers were analysed and reported 

 upon in the chemical laboratory, and several veterinary specimens were examined 

 to confirm suspicion of poisoning of stock. 



A number of farms was visited during the month by different lecturers in 

 order to advise the owners in regard to various matters. 



The School. — The six-weeks' winter vacation for regular students started 

 on 12th June, and the first general short course (two weeks) began on the 21st 

 instant. The number of students attending this course is 34, of whom 23 are 

 women. 



GLEN, ORANGE FREE STATE. 



No rainfall during the month, and cold weather continued throughout. 



Crops. — Owing to the cold weather, crops are not making any growth. 



Live Stock. — In spite of the unfavourable weather all stock are doing well. 

 The nucleus of an Africander herd was established by the transfer of 1 bull 

 and 10 cows from Potchefstroom. 



