1 Ava., 1902. ] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 127 
General Notes. 
TO CLEAR LAND OF OLD STUMPS. 
Mr. H. Armitage, Pomona, says that in clearing land of stumps he has 
found a common timber jack aninvaluable aid. He has grubbed nate 6 acres 
of very heavily timbered land, and “run” the roots to a depth of 18 to 20 
inches without any other help. He first burns the crown and top roots down 
to the required depth by nreans of short “ burners” or logs, removing the 
earth as the fire makes its way down. There is now left a deep hole, whence 
the roots radiate horizontally. Under these he places the foot of the jack, and 
lifts the roots and great masses of earth with them. This method would, 
however, not be applicable with green timber requiring to be grubbed at once. 
Mr. Armitage’s land had been a pine scrub, but it carried as much and as large 
gum, bloodwood, and bastard box as any forest land he had seen. The scrub 
stumps had all rotted away, and the hardwood ones were quite dead and dry 
when he set to work to get rid of them. 
This reminds us that many people who are clearing land do not understand 
how they may save a great deal of labour by the judicious use of what Mr. 
Armitage calls burners. Where many large dry logs have to be got rid of, and 
bullocks are not available to haul them together, cross-burning will quickly 
reduce them to a manageable size. We once cleared 14 acres of dead iron- 
bark and gum logs, single handed, without using a crosscut saw. At every 
8 or 10 feet of the logs a stout log some 8 inches in diameter was laid against 
the log to be destroyed. Fire was then applied on top of the latter, and the 
burner ate down into it, only burning away very slowly itself. One man can 
keep a large number of logs burning in this manner. When the logs were 
burnt through, it was an easy matter to roll the short lengths together and 
burn them. The great advantage of this method of clearing is, that a man can 
go about his ordinary farm work while the fires are working for him at the 
logs. Of course this does not apply to green timber, although some kinds of 
box, white gum, and ironbark may be burnt in this manner whilst still green. 
PULLING UP OLD POSTS. 
Mr. Drummond Macpherson, Cairns, writes:—In the June number of 
our Journal I notice a device for pulling up old posts—viz.,a wheel. Asa 
wheel with a broad tire is not always available, I venture to give another way, 
which, I think, is equally as speedy, possibly more powerful, and anyone could 
make the required triangle. Get three pieces of 3 inch by 3 inch hardwood, 
about 4 feet long; half-check them into each other so as to form an equilateral 
triangle, with the six ends projecting about 4 inches. Lean this against the 
post at an angle of rather less than 45 degrees, fasten a chain round the post to 
the ground, pass it over the top fork of the triangle. One staunch horse will 
pull with ease any ordinary fencing post. Care should be taken to have the 
chain as tight as possible between the foot of the post and fork of the triangle ; 
Fares the lifting power got as the triangle comes to the perpendicular will 
e lost. 
