788 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



Farm Section. — Sixty acres of oats and wheat, were irrigated during the 

 month. Winter cereal crops are very backward on account of tlie extreme 

 shortage of irrigation water. Fifty-four acres of lucerne lands have been 

 fertilized with superphosphate at the rate of 300 lb. to the acre. The shortage 

 of bedding has necessitated the cutting of further quantities of field grass for 

 this purpose. The mangold crop has been of great assistance in keeping stock 

 in good condition. Single roots of the Mammoth Long Red variety scaled 2^, 

 lb., and the average of a number of weighings of the larger roots amounted 

 to 17 lb. 



Lk<e Stock. — The annual sale of live stock realized ^.'3614- iSS-.Qd. The 

 following are the average prices obtained for stock: — Horse stallions, £63; 

 Sussex bulls, ^162. us. lod. ; Friesland bulls, £ioS. i6s. id.; Hereford bulls, 

 /;68. 15s. 6d. ; Africander bulls, ^93. 6s.; Ayrshire bulls, £^2. 6s. gd. ; Wan- 

 ganella rams, stud, £-(). 5s. 6d. ; Wanganella rams, flock, £^o. 14s. id.; 

 Romney Marsh rams, /!i8. 4s. ; pigs, Berkshires, £y. 4s. ; pif^^s. Large Blacks, 



^^Q. I2S. . , . 



The prices realized on the whole are considered satisfactory, except in 

 the case of Wanganella selected flock and flock rams. On account of the large 

 number offered for sak and the few buvers, some of these rams did not 

 realize their full value. 



Spring calving has commenced in the breeding herds. Fourteen calves 

 were boni during the month, one of which died from pneumonia. On 

 account of the diought cows have not much milk, and are being fed heavily. 

 Sheep are in excellent condition. They have run on lucerne and oats through- 

 out the month. One hundred and forty cross-bred Suffolk Persian lambs were 

 born during August and September, and are all doing well. 



Experimental Section. — A large amount of maize, cowpea, and peanut 

 seed w-as distributed to farmers. The demand for seed maize and peanuts 

 was seven times greater than the available supply, and for cowpea seed twenty 

 times. The main obiect of this distribution is to supply the farmer with 

 sufficient approved varieties of cereals to enable him to produce for his own 

 requirements, and requests for seed for the main crop cannot be entertained. 



A cetain amount of seed of promising varieties of crops such as soya 

 beans, cowpeas, and millets were distributed free to farmers for the purpose 

 of co-operative trials. 



The maize ears submitted by the lads who took part in the maize com- 

 petition were entered in the juvenile section at the Witwatersrand Maize and 

 Fat Stock Show. \ report on the past year's competition is now being pre- 

 pared. 



Varieties of potatoes, salt bushes, artichokes, and spineless cactus were 

 planted, and the wheat varieties were strangered and cleaned and the breeding 

 rows in the cage attended to. 



Horticultural Section. — Light frosts were experienced during the 15th and 

 17th, and have, it is thought, done some damage to the fruit crop. Strong 

 winds were prevalent during the month, and made spraying a difficult matter. 

 Early blossoming pears were sprayed for codling moth. Thirteen rows of 

 diseased trees were grubbed out; the land under them will be dynamited and 

 prepared for replanting next year. 



The apiary has been put in order for the coming season; stocks are 

 good, and the colonies seem prosperous. 



Poultry Section. — The breeding season has now closed, and the breeding 

 pens are being broken up. The aim now is to stop laying and force an early 

 moult in 1921. The young stock are continuing to grow satisfactorily. The 

 demand for settings of eggs has been heavy. The birds in the egg-laying 

 competition have done veiy well. The quantity of eggs obtained during the 

 sixth period of the competition, iQth August to 15th September, exceeds that 

 of the previous period by 300. 



In the Engineering Section the suction gas engine was fitted with brake 

 gear, and a test was run to determine the consumption of charcoal per brake 

 horse-power hour. The gas was also analysed, but showed too much oxygen 

 due to leakage of air into the producer. 



School. — Four students for next years Diploma Course were admitted for 

 practical work only until the end of the current session. Five one-year 

 students in the Soldier Probationers' Course left the institution to start farming 

 operations of their own or with other farmers. 



