76 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Fep., 1900 
turning their attention to the use of the corn-harvester, and they have made! 
decided advance in threshing, as the following extract from a paper read! 
Mr. W. D. Lamb, of Yangan, Darling Downs, will show :—‘“ Harvesting 
done by pulling off the cobs from the stalk, with the husk on, and throw 
them into convenient heaps, when a dray or wagon comes along and carts thel! 
to the shed, or more commonly into a heap in or near the field. Then | 
thresher comes along in the shape of a machine that is capable of husking) 
shelling, cleaning, and bagging ready for market up to 1,200 bushels per da 
The machine is drawn by a traction engine, which also drives it when at work 
The engine draws the machine into its place, and then backs off to its plat’ 
behind the thresher ; the belt is put on an elevator running out to the heap 
haul up the cobs, and there is also one to stack the husk and cob. Three me! 
with iron scoops take their position at the heap, and two men at the bags. 
whistle is sounded, the engine starts, and down comes the clean maize into the 
bags at the rate of 100 bushels per hour. Nineteen-twentieths of the mailt 
on the Southern Downs is now threshed by this kind of machine, as it i8* 
much cheaper than the old method, The total cost of threshing to the farm@ 
is now 13d. per bushel, as against 6d. to Sd. by the old method.” 
SS 
THE ONION. 
Dvrtse this month some market gardeners will be sowing for an onion oa 
although we prefer to sow in April, as much weeding is then avoided. Wt 
have already in previous numbers of this Journal written on the treatment of 
this vegetable from the seed bed to the market, but for the benefit of tho® 
who have not these articles at hand we give the following notes :— 
The most suitable soil is a rich, light loam. Jt cannot be too rich. It 
must be free, friable, and easy to work, must not cake, must be well-draine® 
and, if possible, should overlie a subsoil of gravel. Before sowing dig t 
ground or plough it to a depth of from 15 to 18 inches. Then harrow Ww! 
roll down all the clods, and leave it for, say, a month. ‘This gives the weed see® 
time to germinate and come up. When these weeds have come up, go over 
ground with a horse-hoe and rake it to a depth of 6 inches; harrow down lev® 
work the ground to the very finest tilth, and then roll it to ensure getting 
firm bed. A good dusting of wood ashes before the final scuffling will keep t 
onions from decaying at the roots before they begin to ripen. ‘The seed mal 
be sown broadcast or may be drilled in, or may be sown ina seed-bed and aftet 
wards planted out. The beds should not be more than 6 feet wide, as 1 
allows of cleaning without treading on the plants. If the seed is drilled in, ! 
will require about 2 Ib. of seed per acre, the seeds being dropped 2 inches ap’ 
in the drill. (In planting out, each plant should be 6 inches apart ) The drilk 
should be slightly raised and be from 12 inches to 15 inches apart from ea%) 
other, never less than 10 inches; this will allow of a Dutch hoe being ust 
between the onions to keep them clean. 
Do not cover the seeds too deep; a slight covering of soil is quite sufficies! 
If sown deep, many seeds will fail to germinate, and most of those that 
appear will make an abnormal growth of neck. In fiom 9 to 20 days #! 
young plants will appear above ground, and the rows can be followed. No 
keep the hoe constantly going, for the onion will not thrive any more than ay 
other plant when choked with weeds. If any soil is heaped against the pla” 
during hoeing, it must be carefully raked back, so that only the root is left 
the ground. If this is not attended to, the result will be a plant more resembb® 
a leek than an onion. For this reason the land is solidified before planting, ” 
rolling, to allow of the bulb squatting on the ground instead of in it. oa 
__» Onions Ha be known to be ripe by the drying up of the tops. When+t 
~ happens, take them up and Jay them on the ground between the rows to ‘ x 
Then carry them carefully to the barn with as little bruising as possible. 
