^62 Journal of Agriciihiirc , Yicioria. [lo April, 1912. 



ANSAVERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



The Staff of the DepTrtinent has been organized lo a larije extent for the puiijosc of '^\\ iny information 

 to farmers. Question" in every tiranch of af<-ricultiire are yladly answered. Write a short letter, >rivinj{ a* 

 full particulars as possible, of your local conditions, and state precisely what it is that you want to know. 

 /ill inquiries forwarded to the Editor tnuxl be accompanied hi/ the name ani address of the writer^ 

 This is very necessary, as sometimes insufficient information is fui nisiied by the inquirer. 



Couch Grass. — -E.S. has a couch grass bowling green in some parts of which the 

 grass is not growing as well as usual. He asks whether the constant watering which 

 it gets in the summer is likely to leach out some of the requisite plant foods in the 

 soil and affect the growth. 



Answer. — Couch grass thrives in the poorest as well as in the richest of soils.- 

 Consequently, any soil leaching from excessive watering would hardly interfere 

 with its growth. This grass discolours badly in winter, and loses most of its 

 foliage. E.xcessive rain or w^ater in winter would kill out the weaker grow;hs, of 

 which there would be a considerable quantity, owing to the close cutting in summer 

 necessary for bowling greens. It would be advisable to re-sow the bare patches- 

 with a light seeding, 'op dressing with fresh soil, and giving a light sprinkling 

 of blood manure, about 3 ozs. to the scjuare yard. 



Erosion. — A.J. writes " What is the best method of stopping the formation 

 of a gully bv erosion in a gentlv sloping paddock with a clay sub-soil? The 

 gully is forming in a paddock within 30 yards of my fence. It is 12 to 14 feet 

 deep, and about 6 feet wide, and seems to be advancing at about the rate of a 

 yard ever year. Prevention would have been better than cure as it will cost a 

 very large sum to repair the damage already done, bat I am apprehensive for my 

 own land and would like to present a sche r.e before the owner for stopping the 

 trouble." 



Answer. — Your best plan would be to cut drains above the cutaway, with a 

 slight fall to prevent the water running into the gully, and fill the cutaway w-ith 

 scrub placed across the fall of the wa'er to hold the silt. When the scrub is 

 covered put in fresh layers until the hole is full. Plant trees (willows) in and 

 around the edges, and sow paspalum or other grasses on the top. 



White Paint for Farm Buildings. — H.C.B. asks for directions for making 

 white paint suitable for painting farm gates, out-buildings, &c. 



Ans7uer. — Dissolve 56 lbs. of white lead in 9 pints of raw and 9 pints of 

 boiled linseed oil, then add 2 lbs. of ultramarine blue (previously dissolved in 

 oil), I pint of turps and ^ lb. of patent driers. Mix thoroughly, and strain 

 through a fine sieve. For porous work, add more oil, and use less oil for second 

 coat. This quantity will cover 100 square yards. 



Covering Stack. — W.N. inquires as to cheap method of covering a haystack. He 

 asks whether hessian soaked in coal tar and dried would keep out the rain. 



Answer. — Thatching with straw is the cheapest and safest means of covering 

 a stack, unless a proper hay shed is built. Hessian soaked in tar would not be 

 capable of keeping out all rain ; a good tarpaulin canvas would be better. 



Swingle Bars for Five-Horse Team. — J.W. writes " Can you give particulars 

 of necessary bars and chains to yoke five horses three and two, instead of all 

 abreast, so as to avoid having to work offside horse on the ploughed ground." 



Answer. — The swingle bars required for a team of five horses worked two 

 and three abreast are one three-horse bar, one two-horse bar, and three single 

 bars. The leading horses (two) can be yoked wi'h leading chains to the two land 

 and furrow horses, or a furrow and land horse to chains behind the hames, or 

 can be yoked to a double set of birs connected with a cham running up between 

 the back furrow and land horses from the double bar. This svstem will necessitate 

 a greater length of the three-horse bar to distribute the draught evenly for the 

 outside third horse, and is objectionable in turning as the bars, if slackened, are 

 liable to interfere with the back horses. 



Crushed Oats for Dr.\ught Horses. — J.W. asks whether there is any advantage 

 in feeding working draught horses on crushed instead of whole oats. 



Answer. — Crushed oats are quite 20 per cent, better as feed than whole oats, 

 being easily and more completely digested. All the principal firms dealing in 

 agricultural implements sell grain-crushing machines. 



