1 Ocr., 1899. ] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 3538 
so. In larger varieties the flowers or heads, 
times 18 inches in diameter. When the s 
that as many as 2,000 or 3,000 find place in a single head. These seeds are 
slightly wedge-shaped, and vary in colour, some being quite black, whilst others 
are grey or white streaked with black. 
There are, of course, different varieties of the sunflower. The most 
profitable to grow is undoubtedly the Giant Russian, of which each head con- 
tains from 1,060 to 2,000 seeds. It is closely followed by the Black-seeded 
variety. The Small-seeded is distinguished by the great number of its flowers, 
which are very ornamental, though of much smaller size than in other varieties. 
For certain countries, such as the United States of America and Russia, 
the sunflower occupies an important place in rural economy. But here, in 
Queensland, I do not think that its cultivation has ever been attempted on a 
commercial scale. It is, however, admirably adapted to our soil and climate. 
During the last 10 years, I have grown it successfully under a great variety of 
circumstances and seasons, and have found that it succeeded ag well in the dry 
West as on the Downs and here, further north, at Biggenden. Tts cultivation 
is also very simple. The best land for it is on deep, well-drained loam, such as 
is to be found on the banks of our rivers and in our scrubs. It does also well 
on forest lands which are not too sticky. ‘The land should be worked deeply 
and well pulverised by the implements and means indicated in my previous 
article on Maize (Q.4.J. Dec. 1898). 
The sunflower takes its origin from Central America, and is, in consequence, 
sensitive to frost. It cannot, therefore, be sown before the late spring frosts 
are over. The best time is from September to February inclusive. For larger 
varieties, the rows should be from 2 feet 6i 
| n nches to 8 feet apart, and the 
seed from 10 to 18 inches apart in the row. In that way, from 4 to 5 lb. 
will be sufficient to sow an acre, and the return may be fairly estimated as from 
40 to 50 bushels per acre. It grows rapidly, the crop being usually ready for 
harvest in three months. A very expeditious way to harvest it is to cut the 
stem close to the ground by means of the horse corn-cutter described in the 
above-quoted article, and then to cart home stems and heads together. If such 
an implement is not available, then the work, though much slower, can be done 
with a sharp reaping-hook or a long knife. The heads should be then dried as 
quickly as possible, so as to avoid the formation of mouldiness in their fleshy 
parts and on the seeds; as soon as dry enough, they can be threshed, 
winnowed, and bagged. 
During the growth the cultivation consists in keeping the land clean and 
well pulverised, so as to break the capillary pores of the soil and thus keep the 
moisture in the ground. This is a very important point, as the sunflower is one 
of the greatest known evaporisers of moisture. When the plant is full grown 
it will evaporate from 14 to 2 lb. of water j 
; ‘ é n 24 hours. As evaporation is 
always accompanied by the production of cold, it follows that the sunflower is, 
as well as the banana, a good plant to grow near dairies and other places which 
require to be kept cool. It is also Sometimes planted along marshes to 
evaporate the moisture and purify the ur. The sunflower is, of course, mostly 
grown for its seeds, which are very nutritious and contain a large quantity of 
oil. In Russia, where I have seen thousands of acres under that crop, the yield 
of oil is estimated at from 40 to 50 per cent. of the total weight of the 
seed. It is in reality much more, but in the process of extraction an 
important proportion of the oil remains, unfortunately, in the shelly seed 
envelopes. The oil, though not quite as good as that of the olive and 
earth-nut, is largely used for salad and cookmg purposes. It is usually of a 
nice straw-yellow colour, sweet and pleasant to the taste. It, however, soon 
becomes turbid, and solidifies at 16 degrees F. It burns well in the lamp, and 
is, in addition, largely used in many industries such as in painting, candle and 
soap manufacture, &. In Russia enormous quantities of the seeds are consumed 
by the children and also by adults of the peasant class. They roast them like 
coffee-beans, crack off the husks, and eat the oily and savoury kernels, which 
as they are called, reach some- 
eeds are ripe they are so thickly set 
