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Journal of A^gruultitrc. [8 Oct., 1907. 



Kitchen Garden. 



Frequent cultivation between young growing crops, and weeding and 

 thinning are necessary at this season. Good results cannot be expected if 

 sunlight and air are pre\'ented from reaching young plants by weeds 

 growing adjacent. Without considering that such weeds rob the plants of 

 nutriment, this factor alone is sufficiently important to justify frequent 

 reference. 



Seeds of melon, marrow, and cucumber may be sown in the open 

 ground, and plants raised in frames planted out. The soil should be 

 light, and well enriched; the addition of a little rapid-acting fertilizer 

 insures the plants receiving an early start — a matter of importance. Plants 

 should be well grown before dry and hot weather sets in, when they will 

 produce and mature their fruits early in season. For small gardens, bush 

 marrows are suitable, their grow^th being compact. They are abundant 

 bearers and produce fruits until autumn, if well cultivated. 



Seeds of carrot, parsnip, turnip, savoy, and red calibage, for winter 

 use; and beans, peas, and various saladings may be sown. The wax-pod 

 or butter beans are stringless and' of excellent flavour. It is predicted that 

 when they become better known thev will replace the ordinary French 

 beans. 



Plants raised from seeds earlier in the season should be transplanted 

 when ready. 



LMPROVEMP]NT OF SOILS.* 



H. Jacob, Mildura. 



Having previously had good crops of maize by the application of farm 

 yard manure, I thought it might interest you to know that I have this 

 season had one, if not the best, without any manure at all. The article 

 in the March Journal on the Outlook for Agriculture, explains the whole 

 matter. This crop grew on an average, 9 or 10 feet in height. It was 

 the healthiest and darkest green possible, and not the slightest sign of 

 yellow leaf underneath. The following are the facts concerning this 

 crop. In altering my land I had occasion to plough up an acre of land 

 which had been under lucerne for 15 years. Before that I grew barley 

 on it, but the ground refused to grow any more, and the last crop was 

 hardly worth cutting. I put it under lucerne, which grew splendidly. 

 Until 5 years agO' no manure was applied but since then 2 cwt. of super- 

 phosphate per acre have been put on each year. During the 15 years, 

 of all the lucerne grown, none was put back in the shape of farm manure. 

 The quantity taken off was 5 cuttings a year (i^ tons each cutting), making 

 a total of 7 J tons hay, which in 15 years amounted to 112 tons. 



This ground, which was too poor to grow a payable crop when started, 

 is now, after yielding 112 tons of dry hay, left richer and in fit condition 

 to grow the healthiest crops possible. When cultivating, I examined some 



* Note. — This paper has been extracted froir. a letter written to the Department 

 bv Mr. Jacob. It is too valuable to allow to remain unused, although there are 

 some points in it which require further investigation before thev can be fully 

 acct]3ted. — Editor. 



