Life Sciences Commons^™

Chemical Thinning Of Apples, S E. Hardisty, N. H. Shorter

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

TWO important related problems of apple-growing in this State are biennial bearing and poor fruit size.

Early thinning by chemical means, is providing a valuable and practical means of tackling these problems.

With every prospect of heavy crops in most districts this year, many growers will be interested in the possibility of spray thinning.

The Fruit Industry In Other Lands. 5. The United States Of America (Continued), Frank Melville

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

THE United States grows in the vicinity of 64 million bushels of peaches, 83,000 tons of plums, 470,000 tons of prunes and 225,000 tons of apricots.

About half the peaches and the major portion of the plums, prunes and apricots are grown in California which is the centre of the canning industry.

There is also a large cherry industry concentrated mainly in the eastern side of the country. Production amounts to almost 100,000 tons of sweet cherries and 125,000 tons of sour varieties.

Honey Flora Calendar For December, R S. Coleman

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

A look at Flora available in December.

Rats And Mice And Their Control, C D. Gooding, J. L. Long

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

BEFORE colonisation by the white man, Australia contained over 50 species of rats and mice.

Although several of these native species have been known to breed to plague proportions they are normally slower breeders than the introduced species.

Once settlement had been established on our shores it was only a matter of time before the introduction of more of these pests, occurred probably from the British Isles.

Geranium Rust, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

GERANIUMS are affected by relatively few troublesome diseases. However, in Western Australia, leaf rust of these plants is very common and can become a serious problem, particularly in the more susceptible varieties growing in sheltered positions.

Leaf Scorching, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

DURING the summer months, leaves of many plants develop browning and scorching which progresses inwards from the leaf margin or downwards from the leaf tip.

The affected parts become dry and brittle and may break away from the remaining green areas.

Ornamental trees, shrubs and other plants, certain orchard trees and in fact a large number of species may be affected.

Two plants which are very susceptible to this type of injury and are rarely seen without it are the Ioquat tree and the butterfly tree (Bauhinia).

Lupinosis In Sheep. 1. Laboratory Studies, M R. Gardiner, M. C. Nottle

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

IN earlier articles by Bennetts (1957, 1960), the clinical and pathological features of lupinosis, as seen in field outbreaks, were described.

The suggestion was made that the roughage portion of the lupin plants was responsible for the disease.

More recent observations suggest a relationship between parasitism and lupinosis.

Tetanus In Farm Animals, C R. Toop

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

THE disease tetanus occurs in practically all of the animals and man.

It is caused by the tetanus bacillus (Clostridium tetani) and results from contamination of wounds and raw surfaces with materials such as earth or dust containing these organisms.

Autumn V Spring Shearing, W L. Mcgarry, I. K. Stott

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

IN the agricultural areas of this State it is customary to shear in the late winter or spring, usually some time between July and September.

In an experiment conducted at Muresk Agricultural College during the past two years it has been shown that shearing in autumn (March) has resulted in more wool being produced with higher returns than when shearing at the conventional time.

Honey Flora Calendar For January, R S. Coleman

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

A look at Flora available in January.

The Success Of The Rabbit 'Killer' Trials, A R. Tomlinson

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

SUCCESS well beyond what was anticipated has been achieved in a two year trial of a modified version of the rabbit "killer" method.

In the "killer" method, trained officers are employed to kill rabbits instead of to inspect and supervise the activities of farmers and, in fact, these officers do all the actual work of destruction.

This system was advocated by the W.A. Royal Commission which reported on Vermin Control in this State in 1944, and it was used successfully in New Zealand.

These trials were applied only to poisoning and not to overall destruction measures. The main object was …

Tobacco Seed-Bed Management, A E. Baker

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

A SUCCESSFUL tobacco crop depends initially on an ample supply of well-grown, disease-free seedlings available early in the planting season.

If planting is held up due to a poor supply of seedlings, the resulting crop will not be grown in the most favourable part of the season. Late-grown crops nearly always give low returns.

Insects And Mites Found Attacking Cereal Crops In Western Australia, Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

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

ONE of the most important factors influencing Western Australian agriculture in the last 20 years has been the development of permanent pastures together with the associated practice of ley farming.

Although the increased use of pasture plants, and particularly subterranean clover, has increased the general fertility of many areas it has also accentuated various problems, including those relating to insect control.

Summer fallow was a strong deterrent to such pests as the red-legged earth mite, the lucerne flea, and webworm and these and several other creatures have shown a tendency to increase under new farming methods.

Government Botanist Retires, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

MR CHARLES AUSTIN GARDNER, West Australian Government Botanist since 1927, retired from active service with the Department of Agriculture on July 5, 1960.

Honey Flora Calendar For July, R S. Coleman

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

A look at Flora available for July

Zamia Palm Poisoning, F C. Wilkinson

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

THE Zamia palm (Macrozamia Reidlei) is a common plant in the jarrah and karri forest country and on the coastal plains and is one of the earliest recorded Australian poison plants.

Kimberley Research Station : A Progress Report, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

INTEREST in the agricultural potential of the Kimberley region in Western Australia dates from its early exploration and settlement in the last century.

Several farming development schemes were considered for the area, but were never implemented.

This could be mainly attributable to lack of knowledge of agricultural potentialities, limitations of the local environment and ways of exploiting the local environment.

Up to the present the economy of the region is almost entirely based upon the extensive production of beef and to a lesser extent, wool.

Trees Of Western Australia. 79. Eucalyptus Foecunda (Schau.). 80. Fluted Horn Mallee (E. Stowardii Maiden). 81. Eastern Goldfields Horned Mallee (E. Eremophila Maiden). 82. Oldfield's Mallee (E. Oldfieldii F. Muell.), Charles Austin Gardner

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

THIS species is a mallee with an average stature of 5-15 feet, with several erect twiggy branches, the bark smooth except at the very base where unshed patches of a dark greyish-brown adhere to the stems, otherwise it sheds in small plates, leaving a smooth grey-brown bark.

Brucellosis And Its Control With Strain 19 Vaccine, C R. Toop

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

DAIRY farmers of a generation ago will not need to be reminded of the ravages of contagious abortion or of the need for the continued application of effective control measures.

Fifteen or 20 years ago this disease which we now call Brucellosis was rife throughout the dairying districts of the State and it exacted a heavy toll.

The "abortion storm" was a common occurrence and it was not unusual for 30 per cent., and sometimes considerably more, of the cows in a herd to lose their calves at about the sixth month of pregnancy.

Termites Or White Ants, Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

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

TERMITES are commonly but erroneously called "white ants."

Actually they are more nearly related to cockroaches than to ants, but their general appearance and subterranean habits have given strong support to the popular designation.

They may be divided into two major groups from an economic point of view, viz., wood-dwelling and earth-dwelling termites.

Deferred Grazing : What It May Mean In The Mulga Region, W M. Nunn

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

THE practice of deferred grazing has been written up in American textbooks and has been applied effectively to sections of the cattle range lands of the United States.

Early attempts to apply the principle in eastern Australia were not very successful, and it remained for our Departmental workers in the North-West and Kimberley Divisions to demonstrate the phenomenal results that could be obtained on grasslands in summer rainfall areas.

Honey Flora Calendar For August, R S. Coleman

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

A look at Flora available in August

Wild Life In A Modern Age, Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

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

THE present human population of the earth is estimated at about 2 1/2 thousand million, and reliable sources consider that this figure will be doubled by the year 2000.

Although the pessimistic forecasts of Malthus have not yet come true, it is obvious that the world's food requirements, must lead to increased exploitation of land and other primary resources, with consequent repercussions on all forms of wild life.

Famous Sheep Breeds. 6. The Southdown, J A. Mallett

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

THE chunky, low-set, meaty-carcassed Southdown is a popular breed wherever prime mutton and lamb are appreciated.

Just as the Dishley Leicester was used to improve most of the British longwool breeds, so an infusion of Southdown blood has benefited the majority of the British shortwool sheep whose main role is meat production

Farm And Home - A Happy Christmas To Housewives, H M. Gloster

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

THE Christmas season is at hand once more and the housewife will be confronted with the problem of providing appetising meals for various occasions.

Breakfast on Christmas morning may become a difficult meal in some households as the normal daily routine is naturally disturbed by a general mixture of church going, the excitement of young folk opening presents, the exploring of Christmas stockings, the door bell ringing with callers, and preparations for Christmas dinner.

Banana Packing And Waxing, J A F Lawson

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

IN 1955, representatives of the Carnarvon banana growers approached the North- West Branch of the Department of Agriculture with the suggestion that tests be made concerning the value of waxing bananas prior to consignment.

It was claimed at the time by the Director of Horticulture of the Queensland Department that, by means of wax dipping, bananas had been transported from Northern Queensland to Brisbane, ripened artificially, and then returned to Northern Queensland for sale in the middle of summer, whereas the undipped fruit arrived completely unsaleable.

Hormone Sprays For Apricots, J E L Cripps

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

VARIOUS hormone sprays have been applied to apricots with the object of increasing fruit size and hastening maturity, and of these 245TA, the tri-ethanol amine salt of 245 trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, has in general, proved the most successful.

The increase in fruit diameter obtained with this spray in Western Australia has varied between 5 and 15 per cent, and is due to an increase in the size of the cells within the fruit, not to the production of a greater number of cells.

Weed Research. 7. Weed Control Around The Yard, Geoffrey A. Pearce

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

MANY farmers and city householders have weed problems around houses and sheds which can be readily overcome by treatment with appropriate herbicides.

The risk from fire through weeds and unslightly growth can easily be removed and an area free of any plant growth can be maintained with little effort for a considerable period.

Hit Rabbits This Winter : It Will Check Breeding And Give More Valuable Feed For Summer Grazing, C Marshall

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

NOW that the current summer "1080" Rabbit Drive is drawing to a close, it is time we considered our future plans.

I am afraid that in the past most farmers have relied far too much on summer control as the complete answer to rabbit destruction and that this reliance has increased considerably following the introduction of "1080" poison, plus the valuable assistance received from the myxomatosis virus.

Galah Poisoning : Kill The "Cocky", John L. Long, F. Vagg

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

NO! Not the one that tills the land, but his enemy, the pink and grey galah (Kakatoe rosei-capilla).

Farmers have usually found the destruction of galahs damaging standing crops and bagged, or stored grain, fairly difficult.

Past methods of boiling grain and adding sweetened substances are rather laborious and require a lot of time.

Now, a quick and relatively simple method is available to farmers, using paraffin oil to adhere poison to the grain.