1 Dec., 1902. ] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. £49 
Agriculture. 
REPORT ON WORK—QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 
OCTOBER, 1902. 
Farm.—During the month we have had several welcome thundershowers, 
which have caused the grass to spring and make rapid growth to such an extent 
that we have now good “picking,” and the animals are already beginning to 
show signs of improvement. The storms also gave us moisture in the soil 
sufficient for the planting of maize, panicum, &c. The total rainfall was 2°41 
inches for eight days, the heaviest fall being on the 28th, when 1:05 inches fell. 
The continual dry weather has improved the mechanical texture of the soil very 
considerably, to such an extent that the smallest amount of moisture 1s 
retained. ‘The fallow land has now crumbled down, and is now in a condition 
to produce a good crop when sufficient rain falls. The irrigation plant has 
been kept constantly at work. ‘Two waterings—the first 3 inches and the second 
2 inches per acre—have been applied to 24 acres of lucerne, and 3 inches to 1 
acre of potatoes. The method of distribution is the drain and hose system. 
The flow of water from the pump, 15,000 gallons per hour, is not sufficient to 
enable us to adopt the flooding system from drains alone, unless these drains 
were placed at very short intervals, which would mean considerable difficulty 
in using the mowing machine. Then, again, the unevenness of the land would 
be a difficulty in the case of the drain system when only a small flow of water 
is available. We commenced cutting and feeding from the irrigated plot on 
16th October. Upto the end of the month, 9 tons 8 ewt. of green lucerne 
was fed to cattle, 3 tons 9 cwt. 2 qr. to pigs, and 2 tons 4 cwt. to horses. It 
is needless to state that the second crop is now making rapid growth. The 
water 1s pumped, controlled, and distributed by an engine-driver, one labourer, 
and one boy. The cost of applying water equal to a rainfall of 3 inches is 88. 
per acre, made up as follows :— 
Hours of work per day, 18; gallons of water raised per hour, 15,000. 
Labour— £ os. d. 
Engine-driver 0 5 0 
Labourer 0 5 O 
Student 0 2 6 
Fuel ie ay, i ses 0 5 0 
Wear and tear, belting and hose 0 3 0 
Oil - ¥: 3 ae Ay ® 1 
Total be oon on el i @ 
Area irrigated per day, 2°8 acres. : : 
The teams were kept busy hauling firewood, prickly pear from Laidley 
(for experimental purposes), sawdust from Gatton (for bedding), also ploughing, 
harrowing, and preparing land for seeding. During the last week of the 
month under review we planted 18 acres of panicum in the creek paddock ; 
the seed drill was used for the purpose, 12 lb. of seed to the acre, depth of 
lanting 2 inches. Planted maize in sections 2, 6, 7, and 9—5 acres each. The 
Rae before breakfast was devoted to cutting and splitting dead timber for 
firewood. A portion of the fencing around newly cleared land in Gatton 
paddock is now partly erected. ‘Two students, Baker and Judge, competed at 
the Lockyer Association’s Ploughing Match, and were successful in carrying 
off the first and second prizes, this being the fourth occasion upon which we 
have been successful in obtaining first honours at the annual match of the 
district. Should we be fortunate enough to get a rainfall early in the coming 
month, planting the different crops will be proceeded with very rapidly. The 
testing and germinating of seeds was carefully carried out by advanced 
students; the information thus obtained is invaluable to us, especially when 
planting seeds which have been held over for a considerable time. 
