1 Dec., 1901.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 561 
the roots extend freely. Leaf mould should be prepared by every gardener by 
gathering the autumn leaves and piling them in a heap to decay. It is well to 
throw a little soil over them to prevent them from blowing away. In eighteen 
months they are ready to use. Thoroughly decayed cow manure is also needful 
for healthful growth, and that collected in dry cakes in pastures piled up but 
kept dry for twelve months is exactly to our purpose. Little bits of charcoal 
and coarse gravel are of great use in preparing compost and potting plants. 
Put some bits of charcoal into the bottom of the pot, then a little fine straw or 
moss, and now add an equal mixture of loam leaf mould or cow manure and a 
spring of sandy gravel. Shake this down well, wet it a little, and put in 
the plant, spreading out the roots as evenly as possible. Add more compost by 
degrees, pressing it firmly about the roots; do this till the pot is nearly full. 
Sprinkle the whole surface of the leaves and shade for two or three days. For 
repotting give the earth in the pot a good wetting, then run a knife around the 
edge and spread the fingers of the left hand over the soil; with the other hand 
turn the pot topsy-turvy, and a ball of earth will drop into your hand. If it 
does not fall out directly strike the edge of the pot against some hard substance 
and it will drop. Disentangle the fibres of the root at or near bottom, and set 
the plant firmly into a pot one or two sizes larger with a little charcoal and rich 
earth at the bottom of it. Water well and shade for a few days. Give also a top 
dressing of fresh soil if needed, and your plants will repay the care. As a 
general rule pots from 4 inches to 7 inches are large enough. Plants will often 
flower better if the root is bound a little. This is especially the case with 
double geraniums. Give careful culture, keep them clean, well watered, 
properly ventilated, and well fed, and you will never regret the care expended 
upon them.—Zropical Agriculturist, Colombo. 
A NEW AND ECONOMICAL METHOD OF STACK COVERING. 
Just at the right moment we have received from Mr. E. R. Baker the 
following description of a new stack cover, the advantages of which will be 
obvious to all farmers. As the building of stacks is now being proceeded with, 
we recommend wheat farmers to look into this matter of covering, as the 
thatching of stacks is a thing which ought not to be neglected :— 
Purchase two rolls of 4-ply building paper, each roll 336 feet long by 8 feet 
wide, at 38s. per roll. Cut the two rolls into 16 pieces 42 feetlong; mark a 
line with white paint at right angles across the middle of each piece at 21 feet 
from the ends; finish off the ends with a 3-feet piece of hardwood batten on 
each side, screwed or nailed together with the ends of building paper between ; 
bore a 4-inch hole through the battens at 3 inches from the ends, into each of 
which fix a wire loop 6 inches or 8 inches long; then roll each piece up from 
each end to the white line, and put a tie round it. These 16 pieces so prepared 
will cover a stack measuring 44 feet by 24 feet. The stack can be built to any 
height, with the ends carried up perpendicularly, and the sides of the top 
shaped to a roof. When ready, pass up the first piece to a man on top with a 
rope, who will lay the white line straight with the ridge of the stack, cut the 
tie, and let the battened ends of the piece fall down on each side. Each of the 
16 pieces will be put on in this way, giving each a lap of 3 inches. When the 
16 pieces are all laid on in the manner described, take hardwood pointed stack 
spars 3 feet long, pass one through each two wire loops, and drive well home 
into the stack. pin 
If this is well done, the stack will be covered wind and water tight at a 
small cost. When opening the stack, take the last piece put on off. first, 
rolling up from each end to centre ridge-line; put a tie round it, and pass 
down (with a rope), to be put away until required to cover another stack. Jf 
care is taken, this building-paper stack cover will last many years, 
The paper can be procured in Brisbane at the price above-mentioned. 
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