1 Fers., 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 157 
Budding can be continued during the month, and the nursery will require 
constant care to keep it free from weeds, to see that all ties are cut, and, where 
necessary, that the buds are properly started and tied up, as, unless the young 
tree is properly started and trained to a single straight stem in the nursery, 
the grower has a difficult job to get it to grow into a decent tree when it is 
permanently planted out. 
First plantings of strawberries for the production of early fruit can be 
made during the month. The land should be a rich loam, deeply worked and 
carefully prepared, and, where the same is available, should receive a good 
dressing of well-rotted farmyard manure, or, if this is not obtainable, then a 
dressing of 6 to 8 cwt. per acre of a mixture of Thomas’ phosphate 
or superphosphate of lime or bones and sulphate of potash, in the 
proportion of 5 cwt. of phosphate to 1 cwt. of sulphate of potash. If 
possible, choose a piece of land that can be watered, and that is as free 
from frost as possible, as, if the winter and spring are dry, a supply of 
water for irrigation will be of the greatest assistance; and freedom from frost 
will secure early fruit. Obtain healthy runners, not old plants split up; and 
where the strawberry leaf blight is prevalent, remove and burn all old leaves 
on the runner, and dip the crown and remaining leaves, but not the roots, 
into Bordeaux Mixture to destroy the spores of the fungus causing this disease ; 
and thus obtain healthy young plants to start with. Set the plants out in rows 
2feet apart and 1 foot apart in the row where the plot is to be worked by 
horse power, but where the labour is by hand 2 feet between the rows is 
sufficient. If the strawberries are to be irrigated, then the land must be 
graded level, and should be laid off in double rows, there being 4 feet between 
each double row, and 2 feet between the rows forming the double row. 
The plants should be set on a slight ridge formed from the centre of the 
double row, which is thus lower than the plants, and forms a channel along 
which the water runs, and irrigates the plants on both sides of it. 
The following are some of the best varieties of strawberries to plant :— 
Marguerite, Trollope’s Victoria, and Pink’s Prolific. Marguerite is early, and 
does well in fairly light loams, but is very subject to the leaf blight; still on 
account of its size and productiveness it pays to grow it, and keep it free from 
disease. Pink’s Prolific is a very healthy, high-coloured, showy fruit—good 
bearer in rich volcanic loams. ,Trollope’s Victoria requires a rich heavy loam 
to produce the best fruit, and when grown in such a soil it is a good bearer of 
large showy fruit. There are other varieties, such as the Captain, Edith, and 
Sharpless, that are worth testing, and some varieties of local origin that may 
turn out to be of considerable value for our climate, but until such are fully 
tested it is better to stick to the three first-named sorts when planting on a 
large or fairly large scale. 
Farm Notes for February. : 
Farm.—During this month plough up and prepare the land for a potato 
crop. Small potatoes are the best for this planting, for if large they have to 
be cut up in sizes, and the chances are they will rot. Deep ploughing is 
recommended. If you have rich deep soil, clear of weeds, sow lucerne, but 
if weeds are still making their appearance in consequence of hot, muggy, 
showery weather, then defer the sowing until the ground is perfectly clear. 
Panicum, Cape barley, sorghum, vetches, Kafir corn, and imphee may be sown 
under similar conditions. Sow Swede turnips and mangel wurzel for early 
winter crop. Maize may still be sown, although, should frosts occur early in 
June, the ripening crop runs a risk of being damaged. Plant early potatoes, 
using bone-dust or short manure on the poorer soils. 
