SS RG RE RS AL AS 
1, Jan., 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 51 
can only be obtained by seed. This is the only natural system ; all other 
methods of propagation are artificial, no matter whether it be by runners, 
layers, cuttings, grafting, or by buds. The scions or runners are always a part 
of the plant from which they were taken, and retain all its weak- 
nesses atid other characteristics. When any variety has reached this 
stage, the only means of restoring it to health, vigour, and productiveness 
is by seed. Every seedling raised is a new individual, possessing all the strength 
and vigour of youth, and will retain that vigour for many years if properly 
cultivated, and not allowed to kill itself by over-cropping, or to be choked by 
weeds. To obtain seed, a few healthy plants should be planted in a good 
situation and well cared for, and be allowed to bear only as many berries as are 
required for the seed. To obtain the best results from seed the best plan would 
be to cross the Marguerite with some other good strong variety, such as 
Trollope’s Victoria or Federator ; the Marguerite being the mother or seed- 
bearing parent, the seedlings always retain the general characteristics of the 
mother parent. How to raise strawberries from seed was fully explained in 
last month’s Journal. . 
THE LEAVES OF ROOT CROPS. 
Tt is not uncommon for farmers who have grown a heavy crop of mangolds 
to regret that they have not sufficient stock, more particularly pigs, to consume 
the tops. It cannot but be known to the intelligent farmer that the. leaves of 
mangolds, beets, turnips, &c., have a considerable fertilising value when ploughed 
under. Many instances are recorded in which on light land a grain crop has 
failed after mangolds, owing to the tops having been removed, but when they 
were ploughed in good grain crops have been obtained on the same land. The 
leaves doubtless contain nitrates and other saline matter. It is, however, 
singular to note that when beet leaves are ploughed in and a crop of barley is 
sown, the weight of straw is increased, but the grain is lighter than if other 
fertilisers were employed. i = 
KILN DUST AS A POTATO MANURE. 
Some experiments on the manuring of potatoes have been carried out 
during the past two years at Blidworth, under the direction of the staff of the 
Midland Agricultural and Dairy Institute, England. These experiments were 
carried out on a farm and on a piece of allotment ground where potatoes are 
grown very frequently year after year. 
An interesting feature of these trials has been the results obtained by the 
application of dressings of kiln dust as compared with those from dressings of 
farmyard manure and from ordinary mineral artificial manures. On the farm, 
the average results of the two years’ experiments furnished the following net 
rofits per acre (debiting the whole cost of the manure to the potato crop) 
Pee the three most profitable dressings :— 
‘2 Ge th 
From 1 ton of kiln dust... 0 xn rd, ire ed Ae 3} 
From 4 ton of kiln dust... or ae ete xy 83 1 
~ From complete dressing of 34 ewt. kainit, 12 ewt. nitrate 
of soda, and 24 ewt. superphosphate bey a BU & 
On the allotments, kiln dust also yielded the greatest profit, and the com- 
plete dressing of artificials ranked next, as was the case on the farm plots. 
