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1 Sepr., 1901. ] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 293 
Questions on Lesson 9. 
1. May soils produce a good crop of one kind, but fail to produce 
others ? 
. What causes the soil to become gradually unfertile ? 
. What can be done to improve the fertility of the soil ? 
. What is farm-yard manure ? 
What is meant by “ exhaustion” of a soil ? 
What is meant by giving the land a “ rest’’? 
What do you understand by fallowing ? 
. How is fallowing done ? 
. What soils are benefited by fallowing ? 
. In what case is fallowing not needed ? 
SOKENAAKWN 
11. What plants restore nitrogen to the soil? What crops remove it 
12. How do clover and lucerne give fertility to a soil ? 
FIRST STEPS IN AGRICULTURE. 
We are in receipt of several communications expressing approval of the 
series of lessons in elementary agriculture published monthly in the Journal. 
It is a source of gratification to us to learn that many State and other school 
teachers as well as private persons are making use ef these lessons to instruct 
_ their pupils in the elements of the science. And not only in this State are . 
they appreciated, but also in other parts of the British dominions. The Zropical 
Agriculturist of Colombo, Ceylon, reprints the lessons as they appear for the 
benefit of the youth of Ceylon. The first stage will be completed in the next 
issue of the Journal, forming the first of a series of three primers. The second 
stage will carry the student into a higher sphere, whilst the third will deal 
with the subject from a more advanced standpoint. 
GRASS ENSILAGE. 
In the sandy districts of Flanders the principal food of the milking cattle is 
turnips. In severe seasons these are often frozen, and the cattle would some- 
times go very short were it not that there is a great extent of grass land in that 
country. So rank does this grow that there is far more than enough for the 
cattle, and it became a question of saying it in some manner other than making 
it into hay. Baron Peers decided to try turning it into ensilage, and the experi- 
ment proved highly successful. This ensilage may be made in different ways, 
and the method is thus described in the Farmer and Stockbreeder :— 
Ensilage may be made in different ways : the grass may be buried in a trench 
hollowed out in the ground, or ina silo built and cemented, orin arick. The fol- 
lowing was the plan adopted at Oostcamp :—The grass was mown for the first time 
between 8th Mayand6thJune. As soon as cut itwas carried as quickly as possible 
and placed on the rick. The carrying went on every day except Sunday. Therick 
contained about 118 loads of grass, of about 22 ewt. each. Care was taken not 
to put too thick a layer on at a time, so as always to allow the under layer to 
heat to the requisite temperature of 180 degrees to 150 degrees Fahr. For 
this reason not more than 1 yard to 1 yards was added each day. The rick, 
which was cut 6th November, 1899, measured 18 yards in length, 43 yards in 
breadth, and 23 yards in height. It stands on ground which was previously 
dug out to 18 inches. ‘The pressure was given by means of old pieces of iron 
and large blocks of stone, but any other heavy weight woulddo. Makingallowance 
for the damaged portion—varying from 1 inch to 1 foot of the different surfaces 
