1 Ocr., 1899. ] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 421: 
MACARONI WHEATS. 
Reverting to the subject of macaroni wheats, which we mentioned in our last 
issue of the Journal, on the authority of Mr. G. Valder, Principal of the 
Hawkesbury Agricultural College, New South Wales, as being a desirable crop 
for farmers in the coast districts, we find that, despite some adverse criticism 
onthe part of some agricultural journals in the southern colony, Mr. Valder’s 
idea is now favourably looked upon. Farm and Garden for 12th August 
says:—“ Mr. Valder, the Principal of the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, 
having raised the subject of macaroni wheats, it is interesting to know how 
this particular description of grain stands in its home on the shores of the 
Mediterranean. In several European countries, principally Italy, Spain, and 
France, the different forms of edible pastes known as macaroni, spaghetti, 
vermicelli, nouilles, &c., are produced in very large quantities. From a small 
and somewhat local business it has become a large, prosperous, and constantly 
increasing industry, upon which millions of people depend for their food. It is 
estimated that the French output of these pastes is from 120,000,000 lb. to 
170,000,000 lb. per annum, and this product is unquestionably destined to 
increase greatly. The kind of wheat that is wanted for the manufacture of 
_these pastes is a hard wheat, containing a large percentage of gluten and a 
relatively small percentage of starch. Rapidity of growth and ripening is 
considered of prime importance in the production of the desired qualities in the 
wheat. If it be remembered that the French people eat more bread than any 
eople in the world; that, generally, France needs very little ordinary wheat, 
Put that she always will need a very considerable percentage of hard wheat— 
‘hard’ not being, however, understood in the Australian sense in France— 
although we considered that the suggested manufacture of macaroni in New 
South Wales was somewhat premature, the exportation o 
the Mediterranean may possibly be worth a trial.” 
[In many German houses the “nouilles” mentioned above are made as 
required. They are called “nudel,” and nudel soup is a favourite in that 
- country. They are made of macaroni wheat flour, rolled out in 
cut into narrow strips, which are used in the soup in the s 
macaroni of commerce.—Hd. Q.4./.] 
f macaroni wheats to 
to a thin paste, and 
ame manner as the 
DESTROYING PRICKLY PRAR. 
Mr. H. L. Carniscn, a selector at Yingerbay, writes to the Roma Star as 
follows: —There are many things more or less severe upon the pear, but the 
cheapest I have found as yet is bluestone—the ordinary kind used in pickling 
wheat. It can be obtained from any storekeeper, and is 6d. per Ib. In treating 
the pear it is only necessary to powder the bluestone, cut a slit in a few of the 
leaves—the number depends upon the size of the plant—and put about a 
quarter of a spoonful of the bluestone in each slit. In three days the plant 
will droop, gradually turn black, and finally dry up like brown paper. In three 
or four weeks the roots will be dead, and the whole can then be pulled up 
without any difficulty. I hope the information will be of use to your readers. 
It is stated that arsenic and washing soda have the same effect used in the 
same manner, if powdered and used half-and-half. 
Mr. James Polson, rose east Das has been experimenting with “ skin-and- 
hide” poison, and finds it very effective. It is cheap, and is used for dressing 
cattle for ticks. The proportions are 1 gallon of poison to 30 gallons of water. 
He states that both the above remedies are very destructive to prickly pear and 
burrs. 
A WALLABY TRAP. 
Mr. Janes Wrison, Edenfield, Clifton, sends us a plan of a yermin yard, 
which he thinks would be useful for trapping wallabies. It consists of a yard 
of any size which may suit the selector. In one side of the fence there are two 
openings about a couple of feet wide. These openings are fenced on each side, 
