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Prime Lamb Production In Western Australia : A Review Of The Development Of The Prime Lamb Industry In Western Australia, R J. Suiter

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

PRIME LAMB production in Western Australia has evolved into an industry based almost entirely on the local market.

This has not always been the case. In the 1930-40 era a substantial proportion of the State's prime lamb production was exported to the United Kingdom.

During this era the industry was equally dependent on exports and local market.

W.A.G.R. Explains : How Demurrage Affects Farmers, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

An explanation of how W.A.G.R. charges demurrage for rail wagons used by farmers.

Horticulture Chief Retires, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The Chief of the Department of Agriculture's Horticultural Division, Mr. H. R. Powell, retired last month after a long career of service to Western Australia's horticultural industries.

West Midlands Development : Sources Of Credit For Farmers, J T. Stoate

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

RAPIDLY increasing costs associated with land development and farm improvement have placed heavy financial burdens on farmers.

At the very least such burdens must often slow the rate of development, increase family hardship and lower farm profitability.

Many farmers however, are unaware of the sources of loan money which could help them overcome their problems.

This article outlines some of the credit sources available.

Local Marketing Of Citrus Fruits, K T. Whitely

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

CITRUS fruits are always popular on the local market but recently supplies from South Australia have made the market a very competitive one.

The situation demands the marketing of high quality citrus from growers in Western Australia.

The need to harvest the bulk of the Navel orange crop over a rather limited period and the resultant tendency for oversupply during that time also necessitates high standards of presentation to maintain firm prices.

Papaw Varieties For Carnarvon, Michael Gregory Hawson, D. W. Thomas

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

PAPAWS grow very well in the Carnarvon area of Western Australia and throughout the north of the State.

Some produce quite well as far south as Perth.

A Survey Of Stone Fruit Plantings In Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

This article presents the results of a survey of commercial stone fruit plantings in Western Australia, carried out by officers of the Department of Agriculture during 1966.

The main purpose of the survey was to provide varietal and other statistics not previously available in this State.

The results also give useful indications of future trends in the industry.

West Midlands Development : The Economics Of New Land Development, I J. Moncrieff

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE economics of new land development cannot really be separated from the financial aspects.

However, financing development is such a personal business that for general advisory purposes the distinction must be made.

For this reason, the article which follows largely avoids the financial side and is devoted to a consideration of some of the economic factors involved in the development of new land in this area.

Production Costs In The Apple Industry : Comments On A Survey, A W. Hogstrom, I. J. Moncrieff

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IN 1964 and 1965, light and heavy bearing years respectively, apples cost $2.40 per bushel to produce in Western Australia. This figure, to be considered with many other factors, was reached in a cost-of-production survey of 45 selected growers.

Packing and labour costs, in that order, were the two biggest cost-of-production items.

Private Irrigation Systems : Do They Pay?, G D. Oliver

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

WESTERN AUSTRALIA, with 71,000 acres under irrigation, can hardly claim to have an important irrigation farming industry.

However, irrigation is daily growing in importance, especially through private schemes. These account for almost half the present irrigated area.

Sheep Programmes For Esperance Settlers With Limited Finance, R J. Doyle, G. D. Oliver

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

FARMING in the Esperance region has now passed through the phase of experimentation into the phase of consolidation.

But not all new settlers are prosperous.

On occasions, a lifetime ambition to own and operate a farm has ended in failure because the settler has been forced through economic circumstances to give up his block.

Too often this follows the unequal struggle of trying to develop a block with too little capital.

Agriculture In Western Australia : Past, Present And Future, A W. Hogstrom

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE post war period has seen very rapid growth and changes in the agriculture of Western Australia.

Almost every industry and region of the State has contributed to the growth of rural production which in turn has been responsible for much of the development in other sectors of the economy.

Rules Of The Western Australian Pure Bred Dairy Cattle Production Recording Scheme, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

REVISION of these rules was necessary because of the amalgamation of the field work with that of Grade Herd Recording.

Adjustments have been made to facilitate more expeditious handling of records in the Department's Head Office.

Other minor changes have been made to bring the rules into line with present day practice.

Pasture Seed Production, 1966 : Statistics And Comments, B J. Quinlivan

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE marketing of pasture seeds differs from that of some other primary products in that there are no guaranteed prices.

A knowledge of potential supply and demand for the various species and strains is just as important to the seed producer as good production techniques.

Agriculture In Western Australia. 3. The Economic Potential Of The Wongan-Ballidu Shire. Part 1, G D. Oliver, A. W. Hogstrom

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IN West Australian agriculture there is a considerable "backlog" of information available to farmers which is not being used in practical farming. This, of course, is true of agricultural industries anywhere in the world.

This "backlog" results in a big difference in productivity between the best farms and the "average" farms in each district.

This article is a simple economic study of the potential of one shire of Western Australia.

Recording Figures Are No Check On Factory Returns, R A. Bettenay

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

MANY dairy farmers who use Grade Herd Recording are in the habit of comparing their Grade Herd Recording results with returns obtained from a factory.

Where the two returns show some discrepancy the inference drawn always appears to be that whichever credits the herd with the lower return is at fault—either "the recorder is not doing the job properly" or "the factory is robbing the farmer of his just returns."

The Economic Potential Of The Wongan-Ballidu Shire. Part 2. Costs And Returns, G D. Oliver, A. W. Hogstrom

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE potential of the Wongan-Ballidu Shire to produce increased quantities of grain, wool, sheep and meat up to the year 2,000 was estimated and discussed in the first part of this article (see last issue).

In this second and final part the financial returns likely to accrue to the shire and the individual farmers as a result of these increases are discussed.

Breeding Records For Dairy Cattle, P B. Lewis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A N Y business needs records to show up inefficiencies and to indicate where and/or when danger points are being reached.

One record which can be of much use to the dairy farmer is the cow breeding record.

Guard Against Bitter Pit, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Two seasons ago bitter pit' caused heavy rejections of apples for export overseas and bad trade publicity.

To avoid a repetition of this, precautions should be taken against bitter pit on all susceptible varieties.

Modern Developments In Bulk Handling Of Apples, J C. Rowbotham

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

One of the results of mechanisation replacing physical labour has been the development of bulk handling of many commodities.

Apart from the saving of time, effort and cost, bulk handling of agricultural produce enables quicker harvesting at the right time.

Carton Packs For Granny Smith Apples, J S. Bloomfield

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE demand for bruise-free apples by overseas buyers has been mainly responsible for the development of fibre board cartons as export apple containers.

Plant Pathologist Retires, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The Chief of the Department of Agriculture's Biological Services Division, Mr. W. P. Cass Smith, retired from the Department on July 16 this year after many years of valuable service.

An Assessment Of Cattle Husbandry Problems In Western Australia, W J O Wilkie

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE science of animal husbandry deals with all those things which affect the welfare and productivity of our domestic animals.

The relative emphasis placed on welfare and productivity depends on whether the animals are kept as pets or for profit.

Does Herd Recording Help Farmers Improve Husbandry, Maurice C. Cullity

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE proportion of the dairy herds throughout Australia that are being production recorded is low.

This is particularly surprising when the large amount of propaganda encouraging farmers to herd test is considered.

Agriculture In Western Australia, A W. Hogstrom

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A review of the development of agriculture in Western Australia with an outline of the distribution and importance of present agricultural and pastoral enterprises.

WESTERN Australia's economy has always been largely dominated by its pastoral and agricultural activities.

For short periods gold has given greater annual returns than the products of farms and stations, but these periods have never been very long.

Only in recent years has the value of factory production equalled that of our stations and farms.

The 1964 Ord River Cotton Crop, G D. Oliver, A. W. Hogstrom

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IN November-December, 1963, the first five farmers allocated land in the Ord River Irrigation Area planted their first crop of cotton, which is expected to be the major crop grown in the area.

The crop was harvested in May-June, 1964, and has since been sold.

Marketing Export Grapes, W R. Jamieson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IN RECENT years there have been many changes in the buying power and of the availability of fresh fruit on our principal overseas grape market, Singapore.

The market has become highly competitive and trade acceptance today demands that only grapes having a large berry size for the particular variety be exported, and that the grapes arrive in sound condition.

Organization Of Grade Recording Units : Testing Facilities : Notification Of Non-Testing, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

H ERD recording on the farm calls for maximum co-operation between the recorder and farmer if the results are to be accurate.

This will include Facilit, stock and timing.

Cull Your Dairy Cows On Production, R A. Bettenay

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Good production and breeding records are essential to allow effective culling of dairy cows, says Busselton Agricultural Adviser R. A. Bettenay, B.Sc. (Agric.) in this article, in which he outlines points to take into account when culling the herd.

A New Economics Research Centre. John Thomson Agricultural Economics Centre At The Institute Of Agriculture, University Of Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A NEW research unit has been established at the University of Western Australia's Institute of Agriculture to study the economic aspects of agricultural problems in Western Australia.