230 JournaJ of Agriculture , Victoria. [10 April. 1912.- 



weeds experimented with were the ribwort or "rib-grass" {Plantago 

 lanccolatci) and wild mustard {Sinafis arvens'is). In 1899, pots containing 

 100 seeds of each weed were placed at a depth of 12 inches below the sui- 

 face of the ground. From 1900 onwards a pot was dug up each year 

 and the seeds allowed to germinate. With rib-grass two-thirds of the 

 seeds were dead by 1900, but after ten years 8 per cent, still retained their 

 germinating capacity. With the yellow-flowered mustard the germinating 

 capacity was as high after ten years (87 per cent.) as after one year. 

 For purposes of comparison seeds kept in dry storage since 1899 have been 

 allowed to germinate in each year from 1900 onwards. The seeds of 

 rib-grass germinated fairly well the first few years, but by 1909 were 

 all dead. The percentage of seeds of mustard germinating after one 

 year was 82 per cent., and after ten years 24 per cent. In other experi- 

 ments lasting for six years it was found that those buried deepest in the 

 ground retained their germinating power ';est The seeds of cultivated 

 plants, especially grasses, lost their germinating power in the soil much 

 more quickly than the related weed seeds. Weed seeds were found to- 

 retain their germinating power after passing through the digestive tract 

 of a cow or pig, but when eaten by fowls were, as a rule, destroyed. 



MILK RECORDS— 



With the object of demonstrating the value of milk records to the- 

 dairy farmer the Lancashire (England) County Council has been carrying- 

 out tests during the last three years — in 1908 on fourteen farms, in 1909 

 on twelve farms, and in 1910 on twelve farms. Each herd was tested" 

 as regards the yield and composition of the milk once every three weeks, 

 this having been found to give results sufficiently correct for practical 

 purposes. The total yield for the three weeks was got by multiplying 

 the yield on the day of te ting bv 10.5, and the est'mated yield half-wav 

 between two testings by 10.5, and adding the two results. A number of 

 points elucidated by the records obtained are discussed in this report. 

 The usual great differences were found in the capacity of individual cows. 

 Taking the two best and the two worst cows at various ages (twelve good 

 and twelve bad cows in all) the average yield of milk of the best cows 

 was found to be nearly double that of the worst. It is estimated that 

 in the case of the former, after paying for the cost of keep, a gross profit 

 of ^10 per annum per cow is left, but with the latter a loss of 3s. 8d. 

 per cow. This Department has arranged a scheme and prepared cards 

 for keeping milk records, and is readv to supply niformation to thore 

 wishing to improve their milking herds along those lines. 



HARVESTING THROUGH THISTLES— 



An ingenious invention has been made by Mr. E. N. I'anson. a farmer 

 in the Grenfell district of New South Wales. Last year he sowed a 

 crop of wheat in an old thistly paddock ; the crop was put in late and 

 the thistles beat it. They were chiefly star thistles and a few black 

 ones, and as it was impossible to make hay owing to the thistles being so- 

 thick it was decidfcd to strip it. This however was also found to be- 



