230 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ava., 1899. 
Horticultural Notes. 
By PHILIP MAC MAHON, 
Curator, Brisbane Botanic Gardens. 
TuxsEe notes will reach the most distant recipient of the Journal about the 
second week in August, and must consequently be written with a view to their 
being helpful to him when he receives them, and to furnish him with food for 
reflection and hints for guidance until the Journal comes to hand again about 
the middle of September. 
Queensland is a somewhat large place. There are a good many kingdoms, 
several of which could be accommodated side by side within its borders, and 
its climate, rainfall, and general climatic conditions vary very much in different 
parts, and the impossibility, at least sofar as we know at present, of fore- 
casting what the conditions will bea month in advance, must be taken into 
account by the reader. 
At Brisbane, during a period of 38 years, 7 days in August have been 
wet on an average, and on these 7 days 2°68 inches of rain have fallen. In 
September there have been 9 wet days on an average, but only 2:07 inches of 
rain have fallen. September is our driest month, and August the next driest. 
But sometimes August is a distinctly wet month, as in 1879, when we had 
14:67 inches of rain, and in 1887, when we had 11:80 inches. The mean 
shade temperature at Brisbane is 60 degrees Fahr. for August, and 66 degrees 
Fahr. for September. It is found here that with the awakening of spring 
there is a rush of work in every direction, and, as these notes are being 
written, time is being taken by the forelock, so as to get as far as possible all 
preparations made for the busy time coming. 
The preparation of lawns may be continued into August, though we are busy 
in the Botanic Gardens at that kind of work now, because in a short time we 
shall not be able to reach uponit. There was a very deserted piece of land here, 
having an area of about 4 acres. ‘The soil was of the most unpromising 
description, and it had never been cultivated. As it was a distinct eyesore, it 
was decided to bring it under cultivation, and it was ploughed and cross-ploughed 
several times, to bring the surface into workable condition and to break up, as far 
as practicable, the clay which was to be found immediately beneath. Then it 
was once again ploughed as deeply as possible, and a really excellent little plough 
called into requisition. This is called “ Avery’s Hard-pan Subsoil Plough,” one 
of the cheapest and most efficient implements of its kind the writer is acquainted 
with. This was worked with 4 horses, though it looks as if very little would 
break it, so light and handy is it. The surface was then repeatedly harrowed, 
and thrown into a series of picturesque undulations by means of another 
American appliance, the ‘‘ Columbia Shovel Scoop,” which, with 1 horse and 
2 men, did in a short time the work of many men. The surface was then raked 
over, and a wet day was waited for. When the surface of the ground was. 
considered neither too wet nor too dry, the implement before recommended in 
the Journal, called the “ Avery Garden Plough,” was fitted with a small branch 
of bamboo to mark the distance of the rows apart. Then the plough attach- 
ment, before described in the Journal, was put on, and a drill made along the 
depressions in the land. Meanwhile buffalo-grass had been cut up roughl 
into small pieces, having roots attached, and a man followed the small ploug 
laying in these cuttings, while another came after with a rake, quickly drawing 
the soil to the roots, the whole operation being performed very speedily. As 
“one row was finished another was drilled at the distance indicated by the 
bamboo marker, and in this way all the portion of the land exposed to the wash. 
of rains was soon planted with the buffalo-grass. / 
