Life Sciences Commons^™

Weaner Feeding Practices Need Review, W L. Mcgarry, R. J. Lightfoot

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

Many fanners feed large amounts of grain to their weaners over summer and autumn, in the belief that this is necessary for high lifetime production.

The economics of this are open to doubt; in fact, the results of a recent experiment at Wongan Hills Research Station suggested that weaner feeding practices need review.

Minerals For Livestock : Shotgun Licks : A Waste Of Money, Laurence C. Snook

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

Think carefully before buying proprietary "shotgun" licks, warns Animal Nutrition Officer Dr. L C. Snook in this article.

Many of these licks contain a variety of minerals not needed by stock in Western Australia, and misleading claims are sometimes made as to their value.

Dr. Snook concludes that only three minerals are needed in this State, and gives a recipe for a cheap all-purpose lick containing them.

Jellies Make Popular Summer Sweets, B Cleeve

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

THERE are so many interesting new dessert preparations now on the market that housewives tend to treat the common jelly with some contempt. Yet the jelly is still one of our most versatile summer standbys.

New Danger From Hoary Cress, G R W Meadly, R. D. Royce

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

HOARY CRESS is undoubtedly one of the worst weeds introduced into Australia. It is a vigorous deep rooted perennial which competes strongly with crop plants and seriously decreases yields.

The importance of three recent discoveries of this weed in Western Australia therefore need hardly be stressed.

G. R. W. Meadly, Offlcer-in-Charge of the Weeds and Seeds Branch, and R. D. Royce, Offlcer-in- Charge of the Botany Branch, report on two recently found infestations of hoary cross in the Great Southern, and one at Jerramongup.

An intensive eradication programme is under way.

Stinkwort : A Troublesome Summer Weed, G R W Meadly

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

ONE of the commonest weeds in Western Australia is stinkwort, a vigorous plant which can be a nuisance in many parts of the State during late summer.

Chemical Poisoning In Animals. 4. Phosphorus, H D. Seddon

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

WHITE OR YELLOW PHOSPHORUS was at one time widely used in poison baits for crows, rats, foxes and rabbits.

Although it has now been largely replaced, it is still an important cause of accidental death by poisoning.

Weed Problems In The Kimberleys, Rijn P J Van

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

AFTER fifteen years of irrigated agriculture, weeds have become a major problem at the Kimberley Research Station.

Since the Station is regarded as a type location for the potentially irrigable areas of the Ord River Valley, a similar problem is expected to arise when the surrounding areas have been under several years of commercial cropping.

An intensive study of weeds was therefore initiated at the Research Station in 1960.

Better Peach Varieties, Frank Melville

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

The PEACH is a very versatile fruit and a universal favourite. It is surprising then that the area of peaches in this State is very little different today to what it was 15 years ago. This is in spite of the fact that the population has increased by 48 per cent.

New peach varieties now under test could help satisfy the consumers' demand for a better range of high quality eating peaches— and expand the market for peaches in Western Australia.

Downy Mildew Of Lettuce, R F. Doepel

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

Downy mildew of lettuce is a fungal disease common in market gardens during autumn, winter and spring.

Severe outbreaks of the disease can be kept in check by timely applications of fungicidal sprays.

Oat Variety Trials On Research Stations, J L. Mcmullan, J. T. Reeves

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

THE oat variety trials on whose results the Department of Agriculture's recommendations are based are carried out each year on research stations in the medium and low rainfall areas.

Results of oat variety trials on Department of Agriculture Research Stations in the medium and low rainfall areas for the years 1957,1958,1959 and 1960

Fourth West Australian Random Sample Egg Laying Test : 1960-1961, P Smetana, F. A. E. Hunt

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

TO help improve the quality of laying stock for poultry farmers in Western Australia the Poultry Branch of the Department of Agriculture conducts annual random sample egg laying tests.

The tests reveal good and bad points in the laying strains available, and their results are a valuable guide to breeders.

Most of the chickens sold in Western Australia are now bred by hatcherymen who participate in the Random Sample Tests.

Tests For The Determination Of Milk Quality, H Maslin

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

Foolproof tests devised to determine the quality of milk delivered to the factories can detect sub-standard milk with accuracy.

They have an important place in helping achieve a high standard of quality in our dairy products.

Rearing Orphan Lambs, Laurence C. Snook

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

Orphan lambs are easy to rear if a few basic principles are understood.

Clover Ley Farming In Western Australia : An Important Research Project, T C. Dunne

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

IT is an accepted fact that the pasture period developed as an alternative to cropping in areas where cereals are grown results in increased fertility and a potential for higher cereal crop yields.

Barley : Variety Trials 1954-1960 And Recommendations For 1962, J T. Reeves, J. L. Mcmullan

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

THE object of the barley variety trials carried out by the Department of Agriculture is to obtain yield and other information on new varieties or crossbreds produced in Australia or introduced from overseas.

Honey Flora Calendar For May, R S. Coleman

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

A list of Flora available in May

Applying Copper And Zinc Fertilizers To Cereals, H M. Fisher

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

Most light soils with a sandy or gravelly surface are likely to need copper and zinc; heavier clay or loamy soils mostly do not.

Honey Flora Calendar For June, R S. Coleman

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

A guide to flora available in June

Stilling Coastal Sand Drifts With Marram Grass, J L. Mcmullan

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

DRIFTS in dunes on the coast between Albany and Geraldton may be stabilised by planting marram grass (Ammophila arenaria).

However, it should be anticipated that much of the planted grass will die before an area is finally stabilised.

Chronic Respiratory Disease Of Poultry In Western Australia, M R. Gardiner, R. V. Vagg

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

Widespread chronic respiratory disease was revealed in a survey of respiratory infections in Perth metropolitan area poultry flocks.

Most occur in early or midsummer and cause a serious fall in egg production. Return to full lay after the infection is usually slow.

While these infections can cause production losses in flocks which are under heavy stress, none of the more serious forms of chronic respiratory disease was found.

This gives encouragement for future control of the disease in Western Australia.

Chick Management, D F. Hessels

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

A UGUST is the month when most poultry farmers get their chickens. Special attention will be needed in the coming weeks, with nutrition and disease prevention the main considerations.

Skim Milk : The Cheapest Pig Feed, P C. Beck

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

BUTTERFAT production has started on most South-West dairy farms, and although pig prices are not high at present, many dairy farmers have either purchased young stock or bred pigs to utilise their surplus skim milk.

Skim milk is the best feed for pigs on the dairy farm. Properly used in conjunction with other feeds it produces high quality carcasses at minimum cost.

Rechauffe : Polite Name For Rehash, M L. Paul

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

ALTHOUGH every housewife tries to serve fresh foods, she often has food left over from the family meal.Rather than waste this food, she will reheat it for another meal.

This reheating of food is necessary to prevent waste, but freshly cooked foods are, of course, to be preferred from every angle for nutrition, flavour and appearance.

Onion Seed Production At The Vegetable Research Station, M Hardie

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

THE production of a uniform line of good onions is a problem to many onion growers in Western Australia.

This is caused largely by the difficulty in producing or obtaining satisfactory pure high quality seed in this State.

Delayed Foliation In Apple Trees, J E L Cripps

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

DELAYED foliation refers to the late leafing out and production of small leaves by fruit trees.

However, the weak and protracted blossoming which precedes the appearance of the leaves has more serious consequences for it may lead to a reduced set of fruit.

Yellow Dwarf Disease Of Cereals, H L. Harvey

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

YELLOW dwarf, caused by the barley yellow dwarf virus (Oswald and Houston 1951) was recorded in this State for the first time last season.

There is reason to believe that this disease has been present for some years but in the past its symptoms have been confused with various environmental and nutritional disorders.

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.

Successive Crops In A Clover Ley Rotation, H M. Fisher

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

Recent investigations suggest that cereal production on clover leys in the medium rainfall region can be increased by growing a succession of cereal crops after the pasture phase.

In most areas accumulated fertility after four to five years of clover pasture will support two, and in some cases three, high yielding cereal crops grown in succession.

Where root rot diseases are prevalent it is an advantage to sow oats as the initial crop.

Water For Agriculture. 2. Plants For Salty Water, C V. Malcolm

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

ALL natural water supplies contain dissolved salts. In wet climates these salts are usually not present in sufficient quantity to cause plant damage.

However, in Western Australia many natural water supplies contain harmful amounts of dissolved salts.

Take Care Of Young Fruit Trees, R G. Cahill

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

Young fruit trees need good care if they are to grow well and produce good crops in later years.

Bridgetown Horticultural Instructor, R. G. Cahill, gives these hints for orchardists establishing young trees.

Although they take little effort to put into practice they will pay off well in the future.