II Jan., 1909.] Aiisiuers io Correspondents. 6t, 



Black Spot (Apricots). — H.H. asks when to sprav apricot trees for Black 

 Spot. 



A7i<;wer. — Spray with Bordeaux 6, 4, So (6 lbs. bluestone, 4 lbs. unslaked 

 lime, and 80 gallons wat-'r) when the bloom is coming out and again just after the 

 petals of the flowers fall. 



Identification of Plants. — Specimens of plants have been forwarded by 

 various correspondents for identrfication. 



Answer. — i. (A.K.G.). — Woolly Head Clover, &c. [Trijoliiim tomentosuni, L.) 

 A native of the Mediterrmean and now naturalized in this State. It is an annual 

 affording a small amount of feed but dying down in summer. Of some use in 

 spring on poor soils but not a good clover. 



2. (J.M.) — Calandrina caulescens, H. B. and K. One of the Portulacese. A 

 native of North America, introduced into this State 30 or 40 years ago. It is 

 only a small annual, and, although it seeds freely, can hardly be classed as a 

 serious weed. It is not poisonous or actively injurious, but is certainly not a 

 good fodder plant. Clean cultivation, root crops, and leafy fodder crops will 

 keep it down. 



3. (C.E.R.) — Alsike Clover [Trijolium hybridiim, L.) It is a good fodde- 

 plant, and will grow on soils too sandy for lucerne and too wet for Red Clover. 



Taut does not stand drought so well. 



4. (J.Y. ) — White Mulberry {Morus alba). The flowers are unisexual and 

 sometimes one kind only mav be borne on a tree, in which case if growing by 

 itself it sets no fruit. On rich moist soils again the plant sometimes runs en- 

 tirely to foliage. 



5. (J-B.) — Chicory [Cichorium Ititybus, L.) One of the C(Mnpositae. It is an 

 introduced plant which may become a pest if allowed to spread unduly. The 

 seeds are sometimes present in pasture mixture, since it is of some use for grazing, 

 but only on good moist soils. On poor dry ground it soon becomes hard and 

 woody. It is useless to cut for fodder, and when dried the leaves turn black, un- 

 less very rapidly dried, and spoil the appearance of hay. 



6. (L.J.)— Bladder Campion (Silene Cucubalus, Wibel.) An introduced weed 

 widely spread over the Globe from warm temperate regions to Alpine summits. 

 The plant is a perennial, hence the root-stock must be removed from the soil. If 

 the pest is in large quan ities the ground should be ploughed and the perennial 

 root-stocks raked together and burnt or treated with quick-lime. In addition, 

 flowering and seeding should be prevented by planting crops which can be 

 harvested early before th? weed has seeded freely (early potatoes, &c.), and the 

 field cleaned thoroughly after harvesting. The same effect would be produced by 

 growing a catch crop and ploughing it in early, and later raking off the root- 

 stocks as before. In small patches the plant could be dug up and the roots piled 

 and burnt. It has no ap reciable fodder value. 



Rhizome. — A.J.G. asks the meaning of the word Rhizome. 



Anszver. — Rhizome is the term applied to stems which grow more or less 

 horizontally on the surface of the ground (Indian couch grass, Buffalo grass, 

 &c.), or beneath it (English couch grass, Bracken, Iris, &c.). Such stems are 

 often termed " roots," but the leaves and roots arise from them, even when they 

 are more or less swollen and stored with reserve food materials as in Iris, 

 Bracken, &c. Such stems can always continue to grow if left in the ground, 

 and hence the eradication of plants with root-like rhizome stems is always diffi- 

 cult. 



Harvesting Lucerne for Seed. — W.J. inquires when lucerne should be 

 harvested for seed. 



Answer. — The first spring crop of lucerne is usually too dirty with weeds 

 to give a clean crop for seed. The second or third cutting is more likely to be 

 clean. Allow the flowers to turn brown before cutting for seed. The threshing 

 will render the lucerne of smaller service for feed on account of the leaves 

 being knocked off. Some experience is necessary before deciding when to cut for 

 seed, as the crop may mature unevenly. The seed should be well screened be- 

 fore marketing. If there are any patches of dodder in the crop, do not cut the 

 lucerne for seed. 



Saltbush. — Nemo, who is desirous of experimenting with a plot of saltbush, 

 with a view to providing fodder, asks for names of best species. 



Answer. — Saltbushes should only be grown as fodder plants on soils where 

 the conditions do not allow lucerne,' clovers, maizC; sorghum, or similar good 

 fodder plants to be grown. They are easily eaten out, and have nothing like the 



