January 1, 1909 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
39 
I RN NE AT A 
Ln 
The Wheat Harvest. 
The wet winter and fine ripening 
weather are resulting ina harvest which 
is estimated by the Government Statist to 
yield at the rate of eleven and a half 
bushels per acre. 
realised it means an improvement even 
on the satisfactory averages of the last 
two years, namely, 11 bushels in 1907-8 
and 10:36 bushels in 1906-7. The total 
yield is estimated at 19,974,000 bushels, 
and if two million bushels are deducted 
for seed nearly eighteen million bushels 
would be left for sale, which, at an aver- 
price to the farmers of 3s. 6d., represents 
a value of about £3,150,000. 
The total area under wheat is estimated 
at 2,062,000 acres, an increase of 37,000 
acres over the previous year. The area 
reaped for grain, is placed at 1,727 ,000 
acres, 2 aecrease of 26,000 acres; cut for 
hay, 334,000 acres, an increase of 63,000 
If this forecast is 
acres. 
Victoria is also expecting a big crop, 
the official estimate being nearly thirteen 
bushels per acre. In this state the only 
unfavorable influences have been a few 
hot winds during November—which was 
a very dry and warm month —and grass- 
hoppers and takeall in certain districts. 
The Government Statist adds a word of 
caution:—‘The estimated yield is based on 
present conditions, and while it is not 
likely to be substantially increased I admit 
it is possible for it to be considerably de- 
creased through the ravages of tak eall, 
grasshoppers, and hot winds, which would 
mean the cutting of a larger area for hay.’ 
—<Journal of Agriculture of S.A.’ 
——— 
New Cineraria—Matador. 
This cineraria, which created a sensa- 
tion at the last quinquennial exposition 
at Ghent, is an interesting novelty as 
regards the color, which is a decided 
departure from the cyanic shades of blue, 
passing through violet and purple to red, 
to which the cinerarias haye hitherto 
been confined. Among the latter varieties» 
that known as Old Rose, which is a 
decided though somewhat pale red? 
seemed to mark the limit in this direc- 
tion; yet, by a caprice of nature, it 
became the parent of Matador. 
This - 
latter. a seedling, was rapidly propagated 
by cuttings, both at Tours and at Paris. 
But it proved more difficult to raise it 
true from the seed; in our garden at 
Reuilly we succeeded, after many trials, 
in getting one plant to reproduce itself 
from seed, if not with perfect fidelity, at 
least in proportion of 60 to 70 per cent., 
which is a much better percentage than 
is usually obtained from cinerarias in 
general, and especially from the variety 
Old Rose. 
From its parent Matador has inherited 
the short, thick-set growth, the large, 
light, solid, wide-spread leaves, and the 
flowers in a compact bouquet, well set 
out from the leaves. But these flowers 
are of a deep vivid red, for which I can 
find neither name nor comparison. There 
are few cultivated plants that are more 
ornamental from the artistic point of 
view, and Oineraria hybrida Monator 
deserves first place as a winter decorative 
plant, especially as artificial light 
enhances the natural richness and 
brilliance of its velvety petals. Florists 
will find it especially valuable. it being 
well adapted to window display.— 
Philippe de Vilmorin in 
Horticole.’ 
GEO. TAIT, 
Veterinary Surgeon, 
Horse Mouth Specialist, 
* Revue 
28 years Victorian Practice. 
OPERATIONS PERFORMED. 
ALL DISEASES TREATED. 
949 Rundle St., Adelaide. 
TELEPHONE 1,654. 
STRANG & CO., 
Tailors 
AND 
Mercers, 
30 Gawler Place 
A lLay-of the Post-Cart. 
Rumbling, rattliug, shaking, jolting, 
Galloping, kicking. plunging, bolting, 
Driver giving eternal ‘ colting’ 
To horses "neath th’ infliction moulting, 
So merrily goes the post-cart. 
Passenger holding on tight and smoking, 
Vowing the thing is beyond all joking, | 
Cursing his folly, the saints invoking, 
Swallowing pounds of sand and choking, 
So merrily goes the post-cart. 
Horses prancing, pulling, fretting, 
Straining, snorting, panting, sweating, 
In a manner to tender hearts upsetting, 
And still no end of w thrashing getting, 
As merrily goes the post-cart, 
Driver hallooing, shouting, tearing, 
For nothing on earth but the time-bill 
caring, 
Never a moment his sjambok sparing, 
And in very low Dutch, too, sometimes 
swearing 
Thus merrily goes the post-cart. 
Letters inside (for fear of weather), 
Bills and billets doux all together 
Tied up in sacks of dirty leather, 
Little to them does it matter whither, 
Merrily goes the post-cart, 
Through the rivers, across the sluits, 
Over the mountains and into the spruits, 
As fast as can drag it the half-fed brutes, 
Away like a flash of lightning it shoots. 
s So merrily goes the post-cart. 
And aye and anon sounds the driver’s 
horn, 
Not such as we hear on a hunting morn, 
But such as the wretchedest jackass born 
To utter or bray would indignantly scorn, 
As merrily goes the post-cart. 
It stops—the bags to the ground are cast,, 
But the passenger’s ills are not yet past, 
For his bruises a very long time will last © 
'Andremind him he has been terribly 
fast, 
As merrily went the post-cart. 
i MORAL, 
Now you who have boues that are apt to 
break, = 
And you who have sides that are given to 
ache, 
Or sensitive nerves that can’t stand a. 
shake, 
A trip on the mail don’t ever take, 
Though merrily goes the post-cart. 
But you who are made in a mould more 
tough, 
And think a delicate fellow a ‘ muff,” 
If you arein a hurry and don’t mind the 
rough, 
You'll find that the mail is well enoug, 
_ Forspeedily goes the post-cart. 
: —KExchange. 
