VIII. QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Derc., 1899. 
manure applied, when, and what sort, and in what quantities per acre. In the 
case of virgin soil, state if the land was heavily timbered or not, ringbarked, if 
scrub or forest land, what sort of timber was chiefly growing on the land. In 
all cases a description of the neighbouring land, outcropping rocks, &c., are of 
great value. Also state if the Jand is naturally or artificially drained or not; 
describe the land as regards its position to hills, roads, creeks, ridges, &c. 
Only by adhering strictly to these instructions, and by giving minute details, 
can benefit be derived from the soil analyses. 
WATER. : 
It is best to collect and forward samples of water for analysis in stoppered 
glass bottles, generally known as Winchester quarts. 
The bottles have to be perfectly clean, and stoppers must fit well. Corks 
should be avoided, but if used must be new and well washed with the water 
before being used for closing the bottle. 
When taking waters from taps, pumps, bores, the water must be allowed 
to run for a while before taking the sample. When taking the water out of a 
well, pond, or river, the bottle is completely immersed, but care must be 
taken not to disturb the mud or sediment at the bottom of the water. Before 
the sample is actually collected, the bottle is rinsed three times with the water, 
filling each time about one-third full. The bottle is then filled within about 
l inch from the top; the stopper is inserted and securely tied down with a 
clean piece of linen or calico. 
The stopper must not be fastened or luted with sealing-wax, paste, plaster 
of paris, &c. 
MANURES. 
When taking samples of artificial manures from bags, the samples must 
be taken from different bags and at different places of the bag and not only 
from the top; or the contents are emptied on a heap and mixed up well and 
the sample then taken. About 1 to 21b. put into a clean bag should be 
forwarded for analysis. é 
FOOD STUFFS, ke. 
It is always important to obtain good average samples, and this can only 
be done by great care in taking the samples from different places, mixing well, 
and taking a small part of the mixture. This method would apply to any dry 
food-stuff—as grains of any kind, peas, beans, chaff, pollard, meal, &c. For 
the analysis of green foods—as green hay, sorghum, silage—it is best to make 
a mixture of the sample by passing it through a chaffcutter, and by taking 
an accurately weighed quantity—say 21b. This quantity is then dried in the 
sun, taking care that nothing is lost, and when dry put in a bag and forwarded 
for analysis, stating how much of the original green stuff the total amount of 
the dried material sent represents. ‘The green samples may also be forwarded 
without drying in fruit-preserving jars. 
To collect information about value of Green Manures, it is best to plot out 
exactly one square yard in the field covered with the plant, not picking out a posi- 
tion where the growth is very heavy or poor, but about a fair average. Four pegs 
‘are driven into the ground at the four corners, and string stretched between 
them; with a sharp spade all the plants are cut along the strings, so as to get 
really the growth of one square yard. The plants are all collected and 
accurately weighed, passed through a chaffcutter, and the sample for analysis 
taken as above described. In many cases the roots may be also pulled out, 
weighed separately, and a sample forwarded. 
The samples must be accompanied by a description of the crop—when 
planted, how old when cut, if the land was manured or not, weight of crop per 
acre or per square yard, and weight of the sample forwarded when in its green 
state. In the case of green manures it is generally best to take the samples” 
just after flowering, and immediately before ploughing in. 
Samples of Sugar-cane, Sorghum, gc., are sent in bundles of six to ten whole 
stalks, wrapped up in sacks. Give nature, variety, and age of the crop. 
