1 June, 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 437 
REPORT ON WORK—QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, 
APRIL, 1902. 
Harm.—The prevailing dry weather is still hampering progress here. Root 
and other crops that should now be well grown have not yet been planted, with 
the exception of those in the garden, where irrigation is largely resorted to. 
The land was prepared for the planting of crops during the month of February, 
but nothing further can be done until we get rain. Cape barley for green 
fodder has been planted and replanted, in the hope of storms, and so that the 
crop should get the full benefit of the rain when the drought breaks up. 
Panicum, barley, and giant sorghum, planted during February, failed to 
grow, with the exception of the last-named, which still holds green and is 
making a little growth. The Paspalum dilatatum grass keeps green and has 
made very fair growth, notwithstanding the severe season. A fire ran over a 
portion of this, but had no effect on the growth. The grass at the college 
generally, although dry, is holding out well, and if rain falls within the next 
week sufficient herbage will grow to keep the stock going throughout the 
winter. The cattle, up to the present, are in splendid condition. The dairy 
cattle are being fed with green maize cut with the chaffcutter and fed in the 
stalls. The working horses are fed on wheaten straw chaff mixed with a little 
bran and about two quarts of molasses per head daily. The animals keep their 
condition well on this feed. 
A large amount of clearing land for cultivation and other purposes has 
been completed during the month. An area of 30 acres on Lockyer Creek 
adjoining the college boundary has now been cleared, ploughed, and enclosed with 
a substantial fence, the clearing costing 10s. per acre. Thirty acres of the 
“ Gatton Paddock ” have also been cleared and stumped. The sheep paddock 
(15 acres) has been ploughed. A large amount of clearing and burning off of 
dead. timber has been done in the neighbourhood of the cowshed and other 
farm buildings. The teams have been kept busy hauling straw from Gatton 
also sawdust for bedding. No. 5 plot has been planted with Cape barley (5 
acres), and an area of 5 acres in the pig paddock has been replanted with the 
same crop. Rainfall, ‘86 inch, five days; the heaviest fall being on the 27th, 
when ‘60 inch fell. 
Garden.—The orchards and vineyards have been kept clean and free from 
all grass and weeds. The vegetable garden is irrigated daily with the result 
that there is now a splendid lot of vegetables available for college use. It was 
thought at one time that the Lockyer Creek water had an injurious effect on 
plant life, especially when young, but I find that, if the water be judiciously 
used, such is not the case. During the month the following were planted :— 
Cabbages, Brussels sprouts, Savoy lettuce, kohl-rabi, peas, radishes, parsley, 
parsnips, beetroot, and carrots ; all are kept well irrigated. The mandarin 
crop was gathered, and yielded poor results on account of the continued dry 
weather. 
Dairy.—During the month 1,325 gallons of milk were treated for 553 |b. 
of butter, and 88 gallons gave a return of 96 lb. of cheese; the dining-hall 
consumed 450 gallons. Sixty-one head of cows were milked daily. The dairy 
herd, as stated, was fed on green maize chaffed, and fed in the stalls. Owing 
to the dryness of the season very little natural pasture remains, and what 
little there is, owing to its dry and withered condition, is of small value as a 
milk-producing fodder. In addition to the chaffed maize, the cows were run 
for three hours daily on a lucerne paddock. The increase for the month was— 
Ayrshire: 1 male, 1 female ; Shorthorn: 1 female; Grade Holstein: 1 male, 2 
female. One Jersey bull was sold. ; 
Pigs.—Increase for month: 11 head, Berkshires. Sales: Berkshires, 6 
boars, 4 sows; Tamworths, 10 sows; Middle Yorkshires, 2 sows; Middle 
York.-Berkshires, 1 sow; mixed pigs, 87 head; baconers, 15 head. We also 
disposed of 57 fat lambs. 
