ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



The Staff of the Department has been organized to a large extent for the 

 purpose of giving information to farmers. Questions in every branch of agriculture 

 are gladly answered. Write a short letter, giving as full particulars as possible, of 

 your local conditions, and state precisely what it is that you want to know. All 

 inquiries must be accompanied by the name and address of the writer. 



Feedixg Rye to Cows in Calf. — F.J.D. asks whether feeding green rye is injurious to 

 ■ cows in calf. 



Answer. — If the rye crop is unaffected with ergot no injurious effect is likely to result. 

 Green rye is seldom so affected, but the ears frequently become ergotised when the ripening stage 

 is approached. In such cases there is danger of abortion being brought about by the action of the 

 ergot if consumed in large quantities. 



Japanese Millet. — F.C.G. asks (1) whether Japanese millet is likely to grow in height 

 .after the seed stems have formed ; and (2) whether it is likely to be afifected by early frosts. 



Answer. — (1) Not much after seed heads are fully out. (2) Will not grow in cold weather, 

 and a severe frost will blacken it. 



Oil Engine for Ploughing. — Incognito writes : — "I am thinking of ploughing with an oil 

 engine instead of horses. My idea is to mount a, say, 4 h.p. oil engine on a strong four-wheeled 

 frame, and either haul the ploughs behind or arrange them underneath. I am a mechanic, and 

 have lathe, &c., so could gear down to suit the slow speed necessary. Would the vibration over 

 rough ground suit the slow speed, affect the working of the engine, governor, &c.? I am referring to 

 one driven by kerosene." 



A7iswer. — The horse-power stated, 4-brake, is too small to pull more than, say, two furrows, 

 and allows no margin of strength for emergencies. In any case, the ordinary oil engine is not 

 ■designed to work satisfactorily under such conditions. 



Buffalo Grass. — J. A. P. forwards for identification a specimen of grass growing in his 

 ■orchard, and asks whether it is suitable for transplanting on to poor lands as fodder for dairy 

 cows. 



Answer. — The plant sent is Stenoiaphrum Americanum Schrank, (the Buffalo Grass), a good 

 grass for lawns subjected to hard wear, and for consolidating loose sand. Its bitter taste makes 

 it not generally liked by stock, but cows will eat it when other pasturage is not available, and 

 hence it is worthy of trial on poor ground like that mentioned. It would be best used with 

 such other pasture plants as Cynodnn dactylon (one of the Couch grasses), Setaria viridis, 

 Medkago lupidina, M. scuiellata (Snail Clover), Trifolium glomeratum (clustered clover), and T. 

 subterraneum, all of which can be grown from seed, grow well on poor soil, and, taken together, 

 will yield pasturage all the year round, while steadily improving the soil. 



Grubbing Gorse, Etc.— D. McC. writes :— " Will you let me know the proper time to grub 

 gorse, briars, and wattles ? " 



Answer.— The grubbing out of all three plants may be done at any time of the year which may 

 be convenient, and if all pieces are removed from the upper foot of soil there is little or no fear of the 

 plants striking out again. Naturally, it is advisable not to allow the plants to seed before grubbing, 

 but otherwise the best time is early in spring or in winter, after rain, while the ground is moist and 

 soft, but not wet. Strongly-growing grasses on pasture land, or root crops on cultivated land, will 

 give the weeds little chance of establishing themselves again from the seeds in the soil, but if the 

 ground is at all neglected the season or two after grubbing the labour and money expended will 

 have been wasted for the greater part. Infested ground should be kept well coveted with other 

 vegetation, or especially well tilled and cropped before it is handled like ordinary clean ground. To 

 be able to do this effectively, the ground needs to be manured with stable manure, since burning the 

 .grubbed out plants, which is necessary to get rid of them, tends to leave the soil poor in humus. 



Castor Oil Plant.— H. E. W. asks whether the castor oil plant would thrive on sandy, 

 bracken land at Frankston. 



Answer.— The castoY oil plant would thrive, and should do well on sandy soil near Frankston if 

 not too much exposed to sea breezes. It grows well in dry localities if warm and not too much exposed 

 to wind. There are several forms of this plant, some recognised as distinct species. The smaller 

 annual form yields the best oil, the larger shrubby perennial form yields a less valuable oil. The 

 latter would be a troublesome plant to get rid of when once established. A full account of the plant, 

 its cultivation, treatment, the mode of extraction of the oil and other products, with profit and loss 

 Ijalances, is given in the Dictionary of the Economic Products of India, a copy of which can be seen 

 ;it the Herbarium Library. It should only be planted where pasture animals cannot reach it, and 

 <;are should be taken to avoid its spreading to pasture land. 



Fodder Plant.— S.C.B. forwards for identification a specimen of grass growing at Emerald, 

 and states that it is in good growth for the greater part of the year. It is much relished by stock of 

 all kinds. . u u • 



Answer.— The grass sent is a form of Setaria viridis (variety imherhis), which has the hairs 

 among the flowers less developed than the type form. Though an aimual, on good ground and when 

 cropped or grazed it becomes more or less perennial. It is especially valuable for covering bare, 

 -sandy, or calcareous soil. Seeds freely and maintains itself readily. A good pasture grass for dry 

 localities, but gives the best results when mixed with other grasses, since the yield_ of feed is then 

 more equable all the year round. The presence of clovers, trefoils, or a little melilotus aids m the 

 improvement of the pasture and of the ground. The plant is an introduced one now naturalized m 

 jnany parts. Seeds should be procurable from the leading seedsmen ; many farmers could collect it. 



