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The Land Is In Your Hands : A Practical Guide For Owners Of Small Rural Landholdings In Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Wa

Bulletins 4000 -

This Bulletin discusses various aspects of managing a small farm or property in Western Australia, including soil and land care, vegetation and plant control on farm holdings, water resource management, biosecurity, plant, animal and insect pest control and livestock management.

Improving Irrigation For Ord Sugar Cane, Jim Engelke, Joe Sherrard, Gae Plunkett, Tim Triglone

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

Major changes are underway in irrigation practices for the Ord sugar industry as it moves to implement recent findings on improving irrigation efficiency and managing rising groundwater. Significant improvement in efficiency is expected by more accurately matching water application with crop water requirements and by minimising drainage losses through improved water application techniques.

Based on findings from this work, drying off may not be an appropriate strategy for the ORIA as a means of improving crop sucrose content, but could allow for some reduction in water use towards the end of the crop cycle without adversely impacting on sucrose yield. …

Wiping Out Tall Weeds, Brad Rayner

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

Control of weeds is an on-going battle for farmers, with many weapons becoming increasingly expensive. A refreshing exception to this trend is the blanket wiper, a cheap but effective meens of applying herbicides to taller weeds in pasture. Brad Rayner explains how it works.

Stubble : Friend And Foe, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

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

Several articles in this issue of the Journal of Agriculture discuss some of the important issues of stubble management. The articles are condensed from some of the papers presented at a stubble workshop at Geraldton in 1991.

Whole-Farm Planning : Success At Wilgi Creek, Kevin Shanhun

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

Ian and Bev Lynch own Wilgi Creek, a 376 ha mixed farming property at West Mount Barker in the 700 mm rainfall zone. In 1983, they started a whole-farm plan to overcome the problems of declining production caused by waterlogging (their biggest problem), salinity and deterioration of the remnant native vegetation. Today, their property is an example of a successful, wholefarm land conservation plan based on agroforestry, timber production, water harvesting and improved pastures.

Improved Fertilizing Practices On The Peel-Harvey Catchment, P T. Arkell

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

Broad-acre farmers in the Peel-Harvey catchment have met a challange and achieved a great deal since the fertilizer extension programme started in 1983.

The main objective of the extension programme has been to ensure that every year three-quarters of the farmers make economically and technically sound fertilizer decisions, thus causing a minimum amount of phosphorus to enter the waterways of the Peel-Harvey estuarine system.

Growing Sunflowers In South-Western Australia, M L. Poole

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

The oil produced from sunflowers falls into the "polyunsaturated" group and usually commands a premium price on world markets.

Some Western Australian farmers seeking to diversify their cropping programmes in the face of marketing difficulties for many agricultural products are trying sunflowers, although commercial production has not yet been achieved.

This article sets out some basic information for farmers wishing to try sunflowers.

Drought Effects On Wheat Cultivars Using Trickle Irrigation, R N. Weir

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 74M32 - The trial was aimed at - 1. Looking for cultivar differences in drought tolerance: particularly involving Gamenya and Insignia. 2. Considering trickle irrigation as a means of controlled water application. Four cultivars were sown at the end of July in salmon gum soil at Merredin. Drought effects on four wheat cultivars in controlled environment Trial 74GL8 - This work was aimed at assessing the performance of the cultivars Gamenya, Gambee, Darkan and Insignia under controlled moisture stress.

Urea Drilled With Seed Affects Germination And Yield, M G. Mason, A. Loutit, J. A. C. Smith, D. Highman, P. Stallwood

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

Trials in 1968 at Burracoppin and York again showed it is safer to topdress urea just before seeding than to drill a mixture of seed and urea.

At all but the lowest urea rates, urea drilled with the seed reduced the number of plants emerging and surviving, and reduced final wheat yields.

W.A. Dairying : Progress In 42 Years, Maurice C. Cullity

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

From hardship and elementary standards, West Australian dairying has developed into a consolidated industry with larger herds, increased output and high quality production.

The changes he has seen are reviewed by Mr. M. Cullity who retired last month from the position of Chief of the Division of Dairying, after 42 years of service to the industry.

THE history of Western Australia's dairying industry has been a story of struggle against hardship, marketing problems and adverse criticism.

In spite of this the industry has steadily grown and greatly improved its efficiency.

West Midlands Development : Development Techniques, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

Most clearing in the West Midlands is carried out by chaining, though the method chosen will depend on the country being cleared and on the resources of the farmer.

Land Grading In South West Irrigation Areas, 1966-67, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

Land grading in the South West Irrigation Areas with modern earth moving equipment first commenced in 1949.

The advantages of land grading are well recognised by farmers and this season grading operations were carried out on 208 farms.

The New Yilgarn Vermin Fence, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE State's vermin fence system, forming a barrier between the outer edges of the agricultural areas and the pastoral areas, has been extended 162 miles with the completion of the Yilgarn Vermin Fence this year.

Fence Out Those Rabbits, J C. Rowbotham

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

THERE is probably no more distressing sight to orchardists' eyes than two or three hundred young fruit trees that have been damaged by rabbits.

Weed Control In Irrigation Channels, Geoffrey A. Pearce

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

Probably the major task involved in maintaining drainage and irrigation channels is the regular removal of weed growth.

The cost of hand chipping a standard head channel is approximately 10s. per chain.

The use of suitable chemicals could reduce this cost considerably.

The Effects Of Tillage Implements On Cereal Yields, H M. Fisher

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

Careful soil preparation is essential for cereal crops grown without fallow on clover ley land.

Crops give better yields where the land is broken up with a mouldboard or disc plough rather than a scarifier or similar machine.

The implements differ appreciably in their capacity to control weed growth and this is largely responsible for variations in cereal yields. "Takeall" disease is reduced by efficient weed control.

Orchard Planting Systems, K T. Whitely

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

HAVING decided on the location of the orchard and the types of fruit trees to be planted, the grower is still faced with the problem of layout of the trees in the new orchard.

Irrigating Dry Season Crops In The Ord Valley : How To Prepare Land For Sowing, D F. Beech

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

THE best way to grow dry season crops of safflower, linseed and rapeseed under irrigation in the Ord Valley is by sowing on to broad flat ridges, separated by small furrows 3 ft. 6 in. apart.

This system of sowing is called the "corrugation" method.

Weed Control In Cereals : Aerial Spraying Trials, G R W Meadly

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

SPRAYING cereal crops for weed control is now standard farming practice in Western Australia. Almost 500,000 acres of cereal crops, mainly wheat, are sprayed each year, and approximately three-quarters of this area is treated by aircraft.

Recent trials have shown that aerial application of 'extra low" volumes of hormone-like herbicides, with oil or water solvents, does not damage cereals if spraying is done at the right stage of growth.

Potatoes Sprinkler Irrigated From The Collie River, John W. Lewis

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

THE highly productive soils of the flats along the Collie River at Roelands are an important source of many of our summer grown potatoes in this State.

Large areas are planted year after year, the record being held by Mr. Clarry Cox of Roelands, who has planted potatoes on the same seven acres every season since 1922.

Plan For Quality In Silage, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

SILAGE making time is fast approaching in the South-West.

Last minute preparations before harvesting will help avoid delays at the time of making this valuable fodder, thereby reducing the amount of costly spoilage caused by hold-ups.

A New Type Of Seed Bed Cover For The Market Garden, R R. Bell, M. Hardie

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

ALL market gardeners use seed beds in their gardening programme. However, the basic design of seed beds and covers has not greatly altered over the years.

The availability of cheap good quality plastic materials has now shown the way to improvements in the design of this type of gardening equipment.

Bulk Handling Of Superphosphate, H G. Cariss

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

A MAJOR factor in our agricultural production is the outlay for fertilisers, including the cost of their application to the land.

Any means which can be employed to reduce these costs are therefore of extreme importance to the State's agriculture.

The bulk-handling of fertilisers could be one way of reducing these costs to the farmer.