Life Sciences Commons^™

Fertilisers, H G. Cariss

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

The Fertilisers Act, 1928, requires that all fertilisers sold in this State be registered annually with the Department of Agriculture. A list of fertilisers registered for the year commencing 1st November, 1952, showing the registered brand and name and registered analysis, together with the person or firm by whom the fertiliser is registered and the price of the fertiliser at the time of registration appears in this issue.

Scald In Granny Smith Apples, F Melville, S E. Hardisty

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

The Granny Smith has been the most widely grown variety of apple in Western Australia for many years. In 1946 a survey showed that more than one-third of the apple trees growing in this State were Granny Smiths and new plantings and reworkings since then have been predominately of this variety. Production in 1947, a very heavy crop year, exceeded a million bushels, which represented about 40 per cent, of the total apple crop for that year. This decided preference shown by growers for the Granny Smith emanates from its suitability to West Australian conditions and the strong demand for …

Pullorum-Tested Flocks

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

The following Is a list of poultry flocks which have been regularly tested under the Voluntary Pullorum Disease Control Scheme conducted by the Department of Agriculture, and which have compiled with the requirements set out therein.

The breeds of poultry are indicated as follows:—A—Australorp; WL—White Leghorn; RIR—Rhode Island Red; XB—First Cross; BL—Brown Leghorn.

Pigs And Poison Plants

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Farmers have frequently asked Departmental officers whether pigs could be grazed with safety in paddocks carrying growths of toxic plants such as York Road Poison (Gastrolobium calycinum) or Box Poison (Oxylobium parviflorum).

[Contributed by the Veterinary Branch - Department of Agriculture]

Beekeepers' Field Day

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

About 80 beekeepers, attended the first apicultural field day organised by the Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the Beekeepers' Section of the Farmers' Union of Western Australia. The field day was held at the Government Apiary, Yanchep, on December 13, and hot, sunny weather made it a successful and interesting innovation.

Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria For The Inoculation Of Leguminous Seeds

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

The Plant Pathology Branch of the Department of Agriculture can supply the cultures listed below. Owing to the time taken to prepare the cultures, however, and owing also to the fact that in the busy time of the year there is frequently a tremendous accumulation of orders, farmers are requested to lodge their applications together with the requisite payment at least a fortnight before they wish the culture to be forwarded.

Here's The Answer

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

TICK FEVER

" I am experiencing trouble with young pullets losing the use of their legs, with accompanying form of diarrhoea. Most of the affected birds have dark coloured combs and die within two days of showing the first symptoms of being diseased. I have searched for tick but am unable to locate any trace of them. Can you assist me in this matter?"

The Citrus White Fly, C F.H Jenkins, D G. Shedley

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

For the first time in Western Australia the citrus white fly was recorded on lemon trees at Maddington in 1950 and since then it has been found to be widely distributed in the Maddington-Gosnells area and in scattered situations in the Darling Range, Middle Swan and Perth suburbs. It is also of interest to note that the insect appeared in Mildura citrus orchards in Victoria (Anon 1952), about the same time as it was reported from Western Australia, although there appears to be no explanation for its sudden dispersal over the continent.

The Testing Of Bacterial Strains Used In The Inoculation Of Legumes, Olga M. Goss

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

A part from their value as fodder plants, legumes such as peas, beans, clovers, vetches and lucerne play an important role in increasing soil fertility. Their value in the soil-enriching sphere has been recognised for centuries, but it is only comparatively recently that the reason for it has been fully understood.

Seasonal Reminders

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Poultry Notes

The March-April period affords the poultry farmer an opportunity to prepare the A ground for sowing greenfeed crops such as oats, barley, rape and lucerne. Brooder houses and rearing quarters should be cleaned out, floors disinfected with a 2% solution of caustic soda (1 lb. caustic soda to five gallons water), and all woodwork and lappings in the house sprayed with creosote. This gives the creosote a chance to soak into the woodwork long before the chickens are received.

Caked Superphosphate

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Farmers who have experienced difficulties in handling superphosphate which has caked hard during storage may be interested in this method of reconditioning employed by Mr. J. Trott, of Corrigin, and described hereunder.

St. John's Wort - Beetle Parasites Imported

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Some hundreds of thousands of Chrysomelid beetles, which attack St. John's Wort, were recently forwarded to this State by air freight from the C.S.I.R.O. Division of Entomology, Canberra, and have been liberated at Greenbushes and Forestgrove.

Suppurative Otisis In Pigs, C R. Toop

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Suppurative otitis, an inflammatory condition involving the deeper structures of the ear, is commonly met with in young pigs. Affected animals show characteristic symptoms the most prominent of which is the abnormal carriage of the head which is constantly held on one side and this may be accompanied by difficulty in maintaining balance and direction.

Trees Of Western Australia— Lemon-Flowered Gum, C A. Gardner

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

The Lemon-flowered Gum is one of the lesser-known trees of the Eastern Goldfields. Originally discovered by Richard Helms, botanist to the Elder Exploration Expedition, 60 miles to the south of Victoria Spring, in 1892, it was not rediscovered until specimens were collected by Henry Dean, consulting engineer for the Trans-Australian Railway, near Zanthus in 1909. In that year it received from Maiden, Government Botanist of New South Wales, the name which commemorates Bernard H. Woodward, then Director of the Museum and Art Gallery in Perth.

An Open Letter To Dairyfarmers, H P. Schapper

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

As dairyfarmers, you are part of one of Australia's major industries—an industry which, according to the 1947 Census employed 106,526 persons in dairyfarming alone. As dairyfarmers, you contributed to the 1,200 millions of gallons of milk produced last year which incidentally was worth something like £80,000,000 net at the farm gate. Viewed from the nutritional standpoint, you are even more important. You contributed to the supplies of butter, milk and milk products which on a per head per day basis were the source of 21% of the total calories, 16.4% total protein, 44.6% total fat, 76.5% total calcium, 49.5% vitamin …

Black Spot Or Early Blight Of Tomatoes, R F. Doepel

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Black spot disease is one of the most important limiting factors to tomato production in the Geraldton district of this State. All above ground parts of tomato plants are affected and, under weather conditions favourable to the disease, serious defoliation and reduction of fruit yields are experienced.

Sheep Dipping

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

The dipping of all sheep in the Southwest Division of the State, as well as in the Dundas, Esperance and Westonia road districts and those portions of the Merredin, Narembeen, Lake Grace and Phillips River road districts situated east of the No. 1 Rabbit Proof Fence is compulsory, and is required to be carried out within six weeks of the date of shearing.

The Insect Vector In Relation To Myxomatosis, J A. Button

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

The rabbit is undoubtedly the greatest single pest with which agriculturalists in this country have to contend. It is, therefore, not surprising that any new and promising method of controlling the pest should be greeted with considerable interest. Although a great deal has already been written regarding the myxomatosis virus a brief and co-ordinated summary of the situation as it now exists in Australia, with particular reference to this State, should prove of value as a guide to the wider establishment of the disease next summer.

Daffodils For Everyone, C C. Hillary

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

For hundreds of years, poets and authors of renown in almost every country have extolled in verse and prose the loveliness of the daffodil. And well they might, since it is a floral gem of great beauty and one so widely grown that it might well be called everybody's flower.

Lawns - Their Establishment And Management, H G. Elliott

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

It may be said that there is nothing more pleasing to the eye than a well kept lawn, be it in a home garden or covering a sporting area, and under Western Australian conditions there is no reason why a good lawn or turf cannot be developed and maintained-always provided that there is a sufficiency of water and proper care and attention are available.

Wild Dog Investigations, A R. Tomlinson, C K. Blair

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Following the information gained during the expedition to the north of the Nullabor plains in 1951, which indicated that dogs were moving along well defined "leads" on to the Plains from the direction of the Warburton Ranges, the Agriculture Protection Board authorised a further expedition by the Vermin Control Branch to endeavor to trace the origin of the migrations. Large sandhills had prevented the Nullabor Plains expedition from following the "leads" as far north as planned.

Growth Regulating Substances Used For Weed Killing, G R. W Meadly

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Many discoveries of considerable importance to agriculture have been made accidentally while scientists have been working on other problems. The presence of a hormone, or growth-regulating substance, in plants has been known for many years, and in 1934 chemists were able to define the composition of this substance. With this information it was possible to prepare synthetically many related chemicals which were applied experimentally to plants, mainly for the purpose of stimulating growth, particularly with a view to promoting root development of cuttings.

Disease Of Dairy Cattle - Warts And Eye Cancer, J Craig

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Papilloma or warts are by no means uncommon in dairy cattle in Western Australia. In maturing cows, they usually occur on the udder, while in young stock they may be found on the head, neck, and shoulders. In bad cases, a large proportion of the body area may be covered with the warts, forming large cauliflower- like masses which often bleed easily.

The Distribution Of Some Important Toxic Plants Of South-Western Australia, R D. Royce

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

From the earliest days of settlement in Western Australia, native species of J- plants have been responsible for stock losses. As early as 1837, the plant now known as York Road Poison, was apparently causing the death of cattle, sheep and goats in the Guildford area, although the cause of the losses was at that time unknown. By 1842, James Drummond, the earliest of the botanical workers in Western Australia, had identified at least three species of Gastrolobium and one species of Oxylobium as being toxic. Subsequent experience in the field, together with experimental evidence has proved that 25 species …

Here's The Answer

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Recently we had to dismantle and rebuild a Sunshine harvester main wheel. We managed to complete the job fairly satisfactorily but probably a few hints on the correct procedure would have enabled us to do the work with only a fraction of the expenditure of time and labour. Could you publish any notes that might help?

The Passion Fruit - Its Cultivation In Western Australia, F Melville

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Passion fruit has been grown commercially for many years in Western Australia, A where its delightful flavour has made it very popular. It may be eaten fresh or as a component of fruit salads and preserves, is held in high regard by housewives for flavouring cakes and icing, and more recently has been extensively used in the production of a proprietary aerated beverage.

Plant Disease - Black Rot Of Stocks, R F. Doepel

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Stocks are easily grown plants deserving of a place in every garden. They are adapted to a wide range of cultural conditions and a colourful show of flowers can be obtained by planting suitable varieties. Black rot is a serious bacterial disease (causal organism Xanthomonas incanae) of these plants and is responsible for heavy losses in some plantings.

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Pedigree Seed Of Wheat, Oats And Barley

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Supplies of pedigree seed wheat, oats and barley will be available for distribution from the forthcoming harvest at the Department's Research Stations. The seed will be available on a cash basis only. Varieties available this season are listed below.

Plant Disease - Crown Gall Of Fruit Trees, W P. Cass Smith

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Crown gall is a widespread bacterial disease which affects many different plants. It is most frequently noticed on fruit trees particularly pome and stone fruits, but it also attacks grapes, berry plants, and ornamentals, including roses.

Storage Of Onions

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

The importation of onions at high prices during periods of scarcity may be avoided entirely as a result of some successful cool storage experiments recently undertaken by the Vegetable Branch of the Department of Agriculture.