336 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ocr., 1899. 
A CALIFORNIAN HARVESTER. 
‘Tue improvement in harvesting machinery appears by no means to haye reached 
its limit. From California we hear of anew machine called “ ‘The Complete 
Harvester.” This machine does away with the twine bill, no inconsiderable 
item on large holdings. ‘The steam thresher is not necessary, although steam 
has been employed to show the great capabilities of the harvester. But horse- 
power is quite equal to its demands. It is made in various sizes to cover 14, 16, 
24, and 80 feet. ‘The 14-foot machine would seem to be best adapted for use 
in this country, where immense areas are not laid down in wheat. ‘The harvester 
reaps, threshes, cleans, and grades in one operation, and the cost to the farmer 
varies from 12 cents (6d.) per 100 Ib. of clean grain in the sack for a cood crop 
to 16 cents (8d.) for a poor one. The entire cost of reaping, threshing, 
cleaning, and bagging averages 14 cents (7d.) per 100 Ib., equal to a little over 
4d. per bushel. The system in California is to harvest at so much per 100 Ib. 
of clean grain bagged, and this machine enters a field and leaves the sacks in 
heaps of about 5 ewt. on the ground behind it. The cost of reaping, binding, 
stooking, stacking, and threshing in this colony is about Is. per bushel, 
so that, if the harvester can do all that is claimed for it, a very large saying 
could be effected by its use. 
DESTRUCTION OF CHARLOCK. 
SUCCESSFUL CHARLOCK SPRAYING AT ASPATRIA, 
Proressor Henry I. Hill, writing on experiments made at Aspatria Agricul- 
tural College, says :— 
Judging from newspapers reports, the results of spraying charlock appear 
to have been very varied. As our experiments have now proved beyond doubt 
to be a complete success, it may be of interest to your readers for me to describe 
how and when the operations were earried out. 
The field experimented on has been a great grower of charlock for many 
years, and in this respect is considered the worst in the neighbourhood. -It is 
about two acres in extent, seeded with oats after lea, and was kindly lent for 
experiment by Mr. Harry Graves. ; 
Before spraying the charlock was in full bloom, standing from 12 inches to 
14 inches high, about on a level with the oats. ‘The leaves of the charlock had 
become small, and the stems rather tough; it was feared at the time that we 
were a little late in starting the spraying, which afterwards proved not to be the 
case, 
The first plot of nearly three-quarters of an acre was sprayed on Monday, 
12th June, with 2 per cent. solution of copper sulphate at the rate of 40 gallons 
per acre. ‘The weather was hot and dry, and had been so for some time. The 
plot was examined next day, when the charlock had the appearance of only being 
slightly checked. It was then decided to spray a small plot with 23 per cent, 
solution at the rate of 60 gallons per acre. This was done on Wednesday, 14th 
June, and on the same day another plot of about half an acre was sprayed with 
an 8 per cent. solution of sulphate of iron at the rate of 60 gallons to 70 gallons 
per acre. ‘The field was inspected on Friday, 16th June. 
Plot 1 (sprayed with 2 per cent. solution copper sulphate): A large pro- 
portion of the charlock was dying off; corn slightly affected by the spraying. 
Plot 2 (sprayed with 23 per cent. solution copper sulphate, GO gallons. per 
acre): Charlock almost entirely destroyed; corn affected by the spraying. 
Plot 3 (sprayed with 8 per cent solution iron sulphate, 60 gallons to 70 
gallons per acre): Charlock turned black, and appeared to be entirely done for; 
corn only slightly affected by the spraying. 
