Life Sciences Commons^™

Citrus Psorosis, H L. Harvey

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

CAREFUL selection of propogating material will prevent the spread of citrus psorosis, a disease which reduces the yield and economic life of infected trees.

White Muscle Disease Of Sheep : Symptoms And Pathology, M R. Gardiner

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

WHITE Muscle Disease (WMD) was recognised for the first time in Western Australian sheep during the winter of 1960.

The first outbreak occurred on a property in the South Stirling district in the middle of July and this was followed by outbreaks in August, September and early October, at Mayanup, Kendenup, Mt. Barker, Duranillin, Kojonup, South Stirling and Pinjarra.

Organic Manures In Commercial Vegetable Growing, T Wachtel

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

AT one time organic manures provided the only means to return the plant nutrients into the soil, which were removed by cropping.

With the rapid increase of mechanisation, these materials have become very scarce, and their cost extremely high.

It is, therefore, necessary to consider whether the benefits gained from their use are sufficient to warrant their high purchase price, or indeed whether the use of manures is warranted at all.

Spray Thinning Of Japanese Plums, J E L Cripps

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

THE hand thinning of Japanese plums is the most tedious work which the orchardist is called upon to undertake so that any method of crop reduction other than by hand should be welcome.

Growers may, therefore, be pleased to know that in experiments conducted by the Department of Agriculture several varieties have been successfully spray thinned. The material used was D.N.B.P. (Dinitro secondary butyl phenol).

Spraying with this material considerably reduces but does not eliminate hand thinning.

Suet For Winter Energy, H M. Gloster

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

WINTER weather is here again and the housewife will find she needs to provide the family with more substantial satisfying meals than in summer.

Foods which supply heat and energy are necessary to maintain the heat of the body. We get this from foods containing starch, sugar and fat.

Orchard Drainage, R G. Cahill

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

UNDERGROUND drainage of orchard land is an essential feature of fruitgrowing which is overlooked by many orchardists.

Soils should be adequately drained to cope with all winter rains.

Citrus Growers : Don't Blow Up Your Colouring Rooms, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THERE have been several dangerous incidents associated with the use of acetylene in citrus colouring chambers recently, and growers are warned to take care when using this explosive gas.

A Calendar Of Farming Operations For Cereal And Sheep Areas Of Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THIS calendar of farm operations for the Cereal and Sheep areas replaces the calendar published in the December 1949 issue of the Journal of Agriculture and reprinted as a leaflet.

This leaflet was subsequently reprinted twice with some amendments.

It's Dipping Time, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

ANNUAL dipping is compulsory within six weeks of shearing.

Here are the main points to keep in mind for successful and trouble-free dipping.

Honey Flora Calendar For September, R S. Coleman

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

A look at Flora available in September.

Dingo And Fox Baits, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE Vermin Control Section of the Agriculture Protection Board has devised an effective method of preparing poison for impregnating dingo and fox baits. The method is recommended where it is not convenient to use commercial 1/2 grain strychnine tablets.

Fertilizers For Potatoes In Manjimup And Pemberton Areas, James P. Fallon

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

IN articles published in previous issues of the Journal each of a number of potato fertiliser trials carried out in the Manjimup and Pemberton districts has been discussed and results reported.

This article briefly summarises the results of these trials carried out over the past four years and makes definite recommendations to potato growers in these districts regarding quantities of fertilisers to be used on new Red Karri loam soils.

Rice Growing In The Ord River Valley, C B. Langfield

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

THE first commercial rice crop in the Ord River Valley was planted late in I960 and plans are in hand for some 35,000 acres of land to be subdivided for irrigation settlement by 1964, with rice as a major crop.

Identical Twins, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE response to the Department's appeal for identical twin calves has been gratifying, and so far this year five sets have been located and collected.

In view of the rare occurrence of identical twinning, this indicates excellent co-operation from dairy farmers.

Control Of The Emu, C D. Gooding, J. L. Long

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

Vermin research officers C. D. GOODING and J. L LONG give the latest recommendations for control of the emu, based on a series of observations and poisoning experiments in the northern wheatbelt.

It Pays To Breed Your Own Pigs, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

ONE of the most important decisions to be made by a pig raiser is whether to purchase store pigs which he will fatten for market, or to breed his own stock.

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.

Honey Flora Calendar For October, R S. Coleman

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

Some of the Flora available in October

The Argentine Ant In Western Australia, Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

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

IN November, 1954, was commenced one of the most ambitious insect control schemes ever launched in Australia.

The pest concerned was the Argentine ant (Iridomvrmex humilis) and the authorised expenditure was at the rate of £105,000 per annum for five years.

Pullorum Tested Poultry Flocks : 1961, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THIS year's pullorum tests of poultry flocks have revealed the lowest incidence of reactors since the tests began. Results are recorded below.

Palatability Of Forage Plants In North-West Sheep Pastures, R H. Collett

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

A DECLINE in carrying capacity has occurred in large areas of the Pilbara district of the North-West, due to the decrease in palatable plants and the increase in unpalatable ones.

The relative palatability of the various species to sheep is therefore a matter of considerable importance to pastoralists.

Root Lesion Eelworm (Pratylenchus Penetrans) In Vegetables, O M. Goss

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

ROOT lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus penetrans) have been found in many market gardens in the Balcatta-Osborne Park and Spearwood areas, associated with such crops as carrots, parsnips, swedes, lettuce, celery and rhubarb.

Trees Of Western Australia. 91. The Powder Barked Wandoo (Eucalyptus Accedens - W.V. Fitzgerald). 92. The Dongara Mallee (Eucalyptus Dongarraenis - Maiden And Blakely). 93. The Messmate Or Stringbark (Eucalyptus Tetrodonta F. Muell). 94. The Sturt Creek Mallee (Eucalyptus Odontocarpa F. Muell), Charles Austin Gardner

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

THIS species was originally named by W. V. Fitzgerald from specimens which he obtained from near Pingelly in November, 1903.

The name accedens is from the Latin accedo—to approach or come near—and is here used in reference to the supposed close approach of the tree to the common wandoo (Eucalyptus redunca var. elata).

Drugs For Worm Control. 1. Sheep Drenching Trials With Mk 360, M R. Gardiner, J. Craig

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

DRENCHING sheep with drugs designed to eliminate parasites has become an established practice in the higher rainfall districts of Western Australia.

has been tested in many trials, and their is little doubt that drenching sheep clinically affected with worms—the so-called "tactical" drench—is valuable and necessary.

However, there is usually less general acceptance of the value of "strategic" drenching— the prevention of clinical parasitism by giving the drug at certain specific times, pre-determined by a knowledge of the numerical rise and fall of the various parasites within the animal body.

Thirsty Cows Are Poor Milkers, S R. Dunstan

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

THE HOT summer weather is not far away, and now is a good time for the whole milk producer to attend to those points which will ensure that milk production is maintained at a high level during this period.

List Of Registered Stock Foods And Stock Licks 1960-61, H G. Cariss

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

All foods for stock sold in Western Australia are required by the Feeding Stuffs Act, 1928-1955, to be registered annually with the Department of Agriculture.

For the purposes of the Act, "Food for Stock" includes stock licks, which in turn embrace all preparations claimed to supply or primarily intended to supply mineral matter to stock.

Correcting Cobalt Deficiency, Laurence C. Snook

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

COBALT is essential in the food eaten by sheep and cattle. As little as one part of cobalt in 10,000,000 parts of food appears to be adequate.

But if this mere trace is missing, ruminants will waste away and die, even when the feed appears excellent In every other way.

Third West Australian Random Sample Egg Laying Test : 1959-1960, R H. Morris

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

AS part of the poultry improvement plan for Western Australia, the Department of Agriculture inaugurated a random sample laying test for commercial grade chickens at the Poultry Research Station, Herdsman Lake, in 1957.

The results of the first test appeared in the May-June, 1959 issue of the Journal of Agriculture and those of the second test in the June, 1960 issue.

Castor Beans : Ricinus Communis Linn, T Pavy

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

MANY people have seen the wild castor oil plants around the metropolitan area, growing in rubbish dumps, and waste lands.

But they have not realised that the demand for castor oil has been increasing over the last 15 years.

Although one of its main uses is in the lubrication of jet engines, it is also used in plastics, special low temperature lubricants, hydraulic fluids, paints, varnishes, textiles and pharmaceutics.

Control Of Damping-Off In Seed Beds, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

"DAMPING-OFF" of seedlings is caused by a number of moulds, for example Pythium, Rhizoctonia, etc., which are common inhabitants of garden soils.