108 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
February  1,  1900. 
the  price  of  grain  and  labour  difficulties  make  farmers  anxious  to  keep 
as  much  land  as  possible  in  pasture. 
Turnips  on  sandy  soils  suffered  very  much  from  the  frost.  We  have 
seen  Swedes  more  than  half  of  which  are  rotten,  and  as  they  never 
were  half  a  crop  what  are  they  worth  now  ?  The  grower  has  a  large 
head  of  sheep,  having  bought  heavily  in  August,  hoping  that  Turnips 
would  improve  ;  he  has  now  only  two  weeks’  keep  for  his  feeding  sheep, 
and  unless  he  can  buy  roots,  which  is  very  unlikely,  will  have  to  sell 
out  at  a  sacrifice.  Early  sown  Barley  has  of  late  done  so  much  better, 
and  realised  more  than  the  late,  that  no  doubt  many  farmers  are 
preparing  to  drill  in  February. 
The  spring  tooth  cultivator  is  the  best  implement  to  break  up  the 
Turnip  land  for  Barley ;  taken  across  the  ploughing  twice  it  lifts  the  soil 
and  leaves  it  light  and  open,  so  that  the  surface  water  drains  away  well 
and  the  land  has  a  better  chance  of  drying.  The  old  duckfoot  drag 
and  chizel -harrow  are  seldom  used  nowadays. 
Peas  for  pulling  green  must  soon  be  sown.  The  land  must  be 
manured  at  once,  if  it  has  not  already  been  done.  Peas  are  a  paying 
crop  on  warm  early  soils,  but  are  r  ather  speculative,  and  it  is  not  wise 
to  grow  too  many.  The  Telegraph  is  the  variety  now  most  largely 
grown  in  some  Pea  districts  for  pulling  on  a  large  scale. 
AUSTRALIAN  EXPERIMENTAL  FARMS. 
The  importance  attached  by  the  various  Australian  Governments 
to  the  encouragement  of  agriculture,  especially  by  the  diffusion  of 
practical  knowledge,  is  shown  in  the  fact  that  in  most  of  the  colonies 
a  Department  of  Agriculture  has  been  established,  the  official  head  of 
which  is  a  member  of  the  colonial  ministry.  In  New  South  Wales  the 
necessity  for  providing  the  means  of  technical  agricultural  education, 
and  establishing  a  college  and  model  farms  in  various  parts  of  the 
colony,  became  fully  recognised,  and  a  site  suitable  for  a  central 
establishment  was  selected  at  Ham  Common,  near  the  town  of  Eich- 
inond,  in  the  Hawkesbury  district,  about  thirty-nine  miles  from  Sydney, 
where  an  area  of  about  4000  acres  was  resumed  for  the  purpose.  The 
buildings  and  furnishings  of  the  college  and  farm,  now  in  their  seventh 
year  of  existence,  were  completed  in  January,  1896,  and  officially  opened 
on  the  14th  April  of  the  same  year.  Accommodation  is  provided  for 
ninety-six  resident  students,  and  during  1898  there  was  a  full  roll. 
Theoretical  as  well  as  practical  instruction  is  imparted  by  experts  in 
every  branch  of  agriculture,  and  experimental  work  is  carried  on  with 
cereal  and  other  crops,  fertilisers  are  tested,  analyses  of  soils  are  made, 
and  the  arts  of  dishorning  and  speying  cattle,  with  other  veterinary 
surgical  practices,  are  taught.  The  live  stock  attached  to  the  farm  and 
college  comprises  forty-six  horses,  fifty-seven  bullocks,  151  head  of 
dairy  cattle,  140  pigs,  and  130  sheep.  The  operations  include  the 
cultivation  of  Wheat  for  grain  and  hay.  Maize  for  grain  and  silage, 
Barley  for  grain  and  fodder.  Oats  for  grain  and  hay ;  Lucerne, 
Hungarian  Millet,  Eape,  Grapes  for  fruit  and  wine.  Oranges,  various 
kinds  of  fruit.  Potatoes,  Turnips,  Mangold  Wurtzel,  Tobacco,  Potatoes, 
Beans  and  Peas,  Pumpkins,  Melons,  and  different  kinds  of  v'egetables. 
There  is  an  orchard,  30  acres  in  extent,  and  a  vineyard,  10  acres  in 
extent,  and  the  cultivation  of  jdants  for  the  expression  of  scent  has  also 
been  begun.  Besides  the  practice  of  general  dairy  farming  work, 
instruction  is  imparted  in  cheese  making,  also  in  the  management  and 
breeding  of  poultry,  in  the  rearing  of  bees  and  the  preparation  of  honey 
for  the  market,  in  the  killing  and  dressing  of  sheep,  in  the  carpenter’s 
and  the  blacksmith’s  work,  in  the  construction  of  fences,  and  in  various 
mechanical  trades. 
There  are  also  experimental  farms  at  Bomen,  304  miles  from 
Sydney,  in  the  Murrumbidgee  district ;  and  at  Wollongbar,  366  miles 
from  Sydney,  in  the  Eichmond  Eiver  district.  The  former  is  near  the 
town  of  Wagga  Wagga,  and  embraces  an  area  of  2460  acres,  of  which 
1200  acres  are  in  cultivation,  1000  acres  being  devoted  to  growing 
cereals,  of  which  500  acres  are  for  seed  Wheat,  the  remainder  being 
utilised  for  oaten  hay  and  malting  Barley  ;  85  acres  to  fruit  trees  and 
Grape  Vines ;  and  80  acres  to  forage  plants,  such  as  Maize,  Sorghum, 
Millet,  Barley,  Bye,  Oats,  cow  Pea,  roots  and  grasses;  while  8  acres 
are  under  OlHe  trees,  the  remaining  portion  being  taken  up  by  irriga¬ 
tion  plots,  nursery,  and  experimental  plots.  The  experimental  farm  at 
Bathurst,  145  miles  from  Sydney,  is  largely  devoted  to  the  cross¬ 
breeding  of  sheep,  irrigation,  fruit-growing,  cereal  culture,  and  general 
mixed  farming.  The  area  of  the  ffirm  is  596  acres.  Another  farm  is 
situated  at  Coolabah,  in  the  dry  country,  about  424  miles  from  Sydney, 
where  there  are  about  200  acres  in  cultivation. 
Under  the  direction  of  the  Government  pathologist,  investigations 
are  carried  out  at  the  laboratories  at  the  Sydney,  Bathurst  and  Wagga 
Wagga  farms.  At  a  laboratory  at  Pymble,  a  few  miles  from  Sydney, 
the  diseases  of  Citrus  plants  have  formed  the  subject  of  special  inquiry. 
Operations  at  Bathurst  are  not  specially  directed  to  agriculture,  but 
are  confined  more  to  the  diseases  of  stock ;  but  at  Wagga  Wagga,  the 
work  of  the  laboratory  is  mainly  in  connection  with  Wheat  and  other 
farm  crops.  At  the  chemical  laboratory  in  Sydney  special  attention 
has  been  devoted  to  the  grading  of  AVheats,  the  strength  of  flours,  and 
other  matters  connected  with  the  improvement  of  Wheats  under 
Australian  conditions.— J.  Plummer,  Sydney,  N.S.W. 
OUR  LETTER  BOX. 
Measuremeat  of  IHaystack  (G.  C.  F.). — This  stack  contains  about 
270  cubic  yards  of  hay.  The  finer  the  quality  of  the  hay  the  heavier 
it  will  weigh,  but  you  will  be  safe  in  allowing  23  cubic  yards  to  the  ton 
as  an  average.  If  it  is  good  old  hay  20  yards  would  be  sufficient  for 
a  ton.  The  stack,  therefore,  contains  12  to  14  tons,  according  to  solidity. 
Jersey  Cow  with  Sore  Teats  (Admirei-). — By  all  means  keep  the 
calf  away  and  remove  the  milk  by  hand.  There  must  be  great  delicacy 
of  the  teats,  and  we  should  advuse  (failing  a  good  vet.  near)  that  you 
apply  to  a  chemist,  who  will  probably  be  able  to  give  some  prepa- 
tion  that  would  strengthen  and  harden  the  teat.  If  the  cow  is  a 
valuable  one,  the  “vet.”  had  better  be  called  in.  The  cow  is  possibly 
suffering  very  much  more  than  you  expect.  Is  the  milker  gentle  and 
careful  ?  In  this  instance  we  should  prefer  a  woman.  The  matter  may 
soon  be  put  right,  but  it  should  have  immediate  attention. 
Sheep  (J,  P.,  BucTcs).  —  Tours  is  rather  a  difficult  question  to 
answer.  Among  practical  farmers  we  have  never  seen  such  a  book 
as  you  want.  The  management  of  sheep  would  be  difficult  to  teach 
by  means  of  books ;  it  is  a  question  of  experience.  However,  there 
are  several  books  published  written  by  clever  men  who  know  a  good 
deal  of  the  subject  of  which  they  treat.  You  must  understand  we  do 
not  recommend  them  from  personal  knowledge.  “  Morton’s  Handbook 
of  the  Farm,”  No.  II.,  2s.  6d. ;  “  Popular  Live  Stock  Series — Sheep,” 
No.  II.,  Is.  Vinton  &  Co.,  Ludgate  Circus.  “  Sheep  Eaising  and 
Shepherding” — Maldon,  3s.  6d.  Upcott  Gill,  170,  Strand. 
,  Muriate  of  Potash  for  PoTATOES.--In  your  article  on  “Potato 
Experiments  in  Cheshire  ”  you  dwell  upon  the  decrease  in  the  yield 
apparently  caused  by  applying  2  cwts.  of  muriate  of  potash,  with  other 
manures,  in  comparison  with  the  yield  from  1  cwt.,  and  you  sum  up 
against  that  form  of  potash.  But  in  1898,  as  well  as  in  1899,  at  Holmes 
Chapel  1  cwt.  of  muriate  of  potash  beat  2  cwts.  of  sulphate  of  potash, 
or  4  cwts.  to  5  cwts.  of  kainit.  It  is  probable  that  the  doubling  of  the 
muriate  retarded  the  maturity  of  the  Potatoes ;  but  nothing  is  more 
common  in  experiments  with  artificial  manures  than  a  decrease  in  a  crop 
when  an  excessive  quantity  of  a  manure  highly  beneficial  in  moderate 
quantity  is  applied. — W.  E.  B. 
Stable  Manure  for  Wheat. — The  practice  of  drawing  out  stable 
manure  to  be  spread  on  stubble  ground  and  ploughed  under  for  Wheat 
is  much  less  common  than  it  used  to  be.  Farmers  have  learned  that 
if  manure  is  ploughed  under  in  the  autumn  it  does  very  little  good 
to  the  Wheat  crop,  and  is  often  absolutely  injurious,  as  it  makes  the 
soil  above  it  hold  much  more  moisture  than  it  otherwise  would.  The 
soil  beneath  the  seed  bed  of  2  inches  should  be  left  as  firm  as  possible 
in  autumn  for  any  winter  grain.  It  may,  however,  pay  to  use  it  as  a 
top-dressing  to  make  a  large  Clover  growth.  For  the  Wheat  crop 
itself  200  lbs.  of  phosphate  per  acre  drilled  with  the  seed  is  better 
than  double  that  value  of  stable  manure. —  (‘‘American  Cultivator.”) 
Draining. — When  setting  about  draining  the  first  requisite  is  to 
haul  the  pipes,  and  as  land  which  has  to  be  drained  is  as  a  matter  of 
course  wet,  there  is  sometimes  difficulty  in  getting  the  pipes  on.  There¬ 
fore  when  opportunity  offers  through  frost  or  a  spell  of  dry  weather 
the  hauling  should  go  on  with  despatch.  There  are  certain  clay  lands 
that  become  sterile  if  the  excess  of  water  is  not  drawn  off,  and  here 
draining  should  be  done  with  promptitude,  thoroughness,  and  with 
really  good  hard  burnt  pipes.  Pipes  properly  burnt  will  be  tolerably 
sound  in  the  ground  for  half  a  century,  while  middling  burnt  ones 
crumble  down  in  a  year  or  two.  As  to  depth  of  draining,  it  is  the 
most  important  matter  of  all.  The  more  clayey  the  soil  the  less  porous 
it  is,  hence  the  less  capable  of  draining  off  water.  Here  from  24  inches 
to  28  inches  deep  is  sufficient,  but  on  more  open  ground,  where  springs 
from  beneath  give  the  excess  of  water,  from  30  inches  to  36  inches  is 
not  too  deep.  It  is  surface  water  mostly  that  soddens  the  ground  on 
clayey  soils. —  (“  Eural  World.”) 
Let  the  Harness  Fit. — All  those  who  have  horses  under  their 
care  should  in  our  changeable  climate — indeed,  at  all  times — see  that 
the  harness  fits  the  animal  to  which  it  is  applied.  It  is  necessary 
that  the  fit  be  a  good  one  at  all  times,  but  in  cold  weather  the  hide  of 
the  horse  will  put  up  with  a  good  deal  of  chafing  without  becoming 
sore,  whereas  in  hot  weather  it  frays  very  easily.  Then  in  changeable 
temperature  the  sweat  dries,  the  salty  exudations  become  dry  and 
encrusted  on  the  edges  of  the  galls  produced,  and  sores  that  are 
obstinate  enough  about  healing  are  the  result.  Collars  and  saddles  get 
very  wet  with  sweat,  and  if  both  they  and  the  skin  on  which  they  rest 
are  not  properly  attended  to  trouble  quickly  ensues.  Crupper  galls  are 
not  uncommon,  and  a  throat  latch  that  does  not  fit  well  often  makes  a 
nasty  sore.  It  is  so  very  easy  to  make  harness  fit  well,  down  to  the 
least  important  strap,  that  there  is  no  excuse  for  any  part  of  the  gear 
chafing  the  horse.  When  one  sees  a  horse’s  shoulders  all  raw,  one  may 
make  up  his  mind  that  the  groom  in  charge  is  a  slovenly  fellow  that 
merits  his  discharge  richly,  and  so  with  all  harness  galls.  Owing  to 
faulty  formation  sometimes  it  is  very  hard  to  keep  a  horse’s  shoulders 
from  getting  galled.  In  this  case  the  only  thing  to  be  done  is  to  have  a 
maker  construct  a  collar  of  special  pattern. — (“  Eural  World.”) 
