6 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Juny, 1899. 
in some measure be avoided. When sowing by hand, it is sometimes recom- 
mended, in order to prevent too thick sowing, to mix the seed with wood ashes 
or dry earth; this to many will appear.a cumbersome method, and unnecessary. 
Too much emphasis cannot be put upon this fact: That, in proportion to accuracy 
in sowing, drilling, and good tilth of soil, a material advantage obtains in 
efficient handling of the crops subsequently. In drawing the drills out, it is 
preferable, other circumstances bemg equal, in order to give the ground the 
best advantage of sun heat (it being continually borne in mind that this is a 
purely summer crop that revels in warmth), that the drills should be struck out 
north and south, thus as far as possible giving the best conditions of sun heat 
for rapid development of the crop. This feature being attended to, it will have 
some degree of advantage in the curing process, when the period for this work 
arrives. The sowing can be performed when the land is wet or dry. My own 
preference is to sow on dry soil, as then the machines work better; and as the 
seed is pretty hardy, it will keep, as I have found, for a couple of months 
awaiting rain to germinate: Thus the risk attending this crop is not nearly equal 
that pertaining to those crops of which the seed is expensive. The quantity of 
seed required per acre is about 6 Ib., if dropped accurately. When dropping by 
hand, it will probably take more ; and if the seed contains much immature or 
faulty grain, additional allowance must be made for this contingency. Care 
must be taken, if sowing with the machine, that all the seed is divided from 
particles of fibre and thoroughly separated ; otherwise they clog the disc holes 
and thus prevent regular dropping, and, in addition, frequently germinate in 
clusters which dwarf the plants. 
CULTIVATION. 
The cultivation should begin almost immediately after sowing, as this plant 
is somewhat slow im appearing above ground. In suitable conditions of heat 
and moisture, it will usually be a week to ten days before the tiny spear 
protrudes. There is thus abundant time to set the harrows lightly skimming 
the surface to cheek such weeds as may be on the point of germinating. 'This 
service is performed by the harrowing, and is not of less importance than the 
benefit derived from the mulching process thus put into operation. The 
advantage of running the harrow over the ground up to the last possible 
moment is emphasised by the fact of the slow development of this crop in its 
young stages. Tn comparison with such crops as maize, it 1s quite laggard. in its 
srowth at this period ; hence, if this operation is neglected, the weeds will prove 
ormidable before you can safely work the implements among the tiny plants. 
Farmers not accustomed to this crop will, perhaps. be apprehensive of this 
peculiarity, but there need be no alarm. If other conditions are right the young 
plant will soon assert itself, and in a very short time give every evidence of 
vigour. In using the harrow after sowing, care must be taken not to displace 
the seed in the drills; neither must this opeMtion be performed when the young 
plants are near coming up. 
Begin operations with the horse-hoe as early as it is possible to move 
through the rows without doing harm to the young plants—that is, as early as 
you can operate the implements without fouling the plants with excessive soil. 
The careful tiller, when doing his first cleaning, will so steady his machine and 
horse as to be able to slightly throw light films of soil as near the roots of the 
young plants as he dare. This plan is of value, as providing a slight mulch 
close to the roots, and to some slight extent checks the growth of summer grass, 
which at this period is, as usual, too obtrusive. In black lands this film of soil has 
its value, inasmuch as it tends to prevent that serious drought propensity of black 
lands to open or crack, as it invariably does under these conditions to a material 
extent by its mulching properties. In cultivating black lands, no condition needs 
more guarding against than this feature of cracking. I am of opinion that this 
evil can be materially avoided by the deep and frequent use of the horse-hoe 
among the rows, and is a phase of tillage that no farmer in dry seasons can 
afford to ignore. No farmer need expect to perform what may be fitly called 
