Behavior and Ethology Commons^™

Keeping Starlings Out Of W.A, John L. Long

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

In Europe and North America huge flocks of starlings cause millions of dollars worth of damage to grain and fruit crops each year and large sums of money are spent trying to control them.

Starlings were introduced into australia in the late 1890s when more than 200 birds were released near Melbourne. They are now well established over much of eastern Australia, ranging from central Queensland, south to Tasmania and along the Great Australian Bight to the South Australian-Western Australian border, occasionally crossing it and sometimes moving as far west as the Esperance region on the south coast.

Some people …

Emus On The Move : 1976, Michael T. Sexton

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

The greatest migration of emus in recent times came out of the ZMurchison and Gascoyne pastoral areas during the winter of 1976. The emus were driven south-westerly by an instinctive search for food.

The Agriculture Protection Board's barrier fences stoped the wave of emus on the fringes of the wheatbelt, causing a congregation estimated in mid June to total 50,000 birds.

This article reviews the reason behind the emu migration and the policies employed to deal with such a situation.

The Control Of Annual Ryegrass, Geoffrey A. Pearce, J. E. Holmes

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

A valuable pasture plant - one of the worst weeds if cereal crops - host to a potent animal disease toxin.....annual ryegrass is the subject of intensive studies by the Department of Agriculture.

This article reviews current research into the control of annual ryegrass in crops.

Linseed Within The Clover Ley Farming System, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

LINSEED was one of the first crops to be widely used as an alternative to cereals in the over-17 inch rainfall areas. It is now an established crop with a total 1969 production worth just under half a million dollars.

Linseed is currently worth nearly twice as much as wheat per bushel, wih its short term prospects still attractive.

Progress In Research On Noxious Weeds, Geoffrey A. Pearce

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

RESEARCH on noxious weeds has enabled the development of many practical methods for the control of these weeds.

Where the recommended treatments have been accepted by farmers, large scale operations have reduced the areas infested and stopped spread into new paddocks.

Establishing Pastures Under Wheat Crops, M L. Poole, J. W. Gartrell, D. A. N. Nicholas

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

RECENT surveys indicate that in the medium and high rainfall cereal and sheep areas as much as half the new pasture sown is sown with a crop.

In the drier wheatbelt areas the figure is 20 to 30 per cent.

Nitrogen Fertiliser Survey, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE DECEMBER, 1968 issue of the "Journal of Agriculture" included, as part of an article on the economics of nitrogen fertiliser use, a lift-out section for farmers to complete and return to the Journal.

In the lift-out, farmers were asked to calculate their fertiliser costs and answer a series of questions about the use of nitrogen on their farms.

West Midlands Development : Pastures For Sandplain Soils, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

TRIALS at the Badgingarra Research Station have indicated that many pasture species will grow in the West Midlands area.

Choice of the species most suited to any particular locality will be influenced by soil type, rainfall, grazing characteristics and possible ill-effects on stock.

The following species have been recommended.

The Indian Mynah, John L. Long

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

THE Common or Indian Mynah (Acridotheres tristis) inhabits Afghanistan, Baluchistan, southern Russian Turkestan, India, Ceylon and the Andaman Islands.

Grasshoppers And Locusts In Western Australia, Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

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

GRASSHOPPERS and locusts are among the most ancient enemies of the farmer, for they figured prominently in Biblical times, and periodically throughout the ages have devastated crops in all parts of the world.

The Indian Crow, John L. Long

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

THE Indian crow occasionally reaches the shores of Australia from southern Asia via ships travelling between Indian and Australian ports.

Vermin Control This Month, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE effects of the very wet winter are no longer being felt in vermin control activities in most of Western Australia and they have returned to normal.

The Fox : Status And Control, C D. Gooding

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

NOBODY knows for certain and it is possible that the damage done by foxes is sometimes over-rated, but the fact remains that foxes are reputed to be a real problem to some farmers at lambing time.

Weaning Lambs Under Pastoral Conditions, H Suijdendorp, L. Parsons

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

IN the summer rainfall region of the pastoral areas lambs are too often born too late to ensure their survival.

In good seasons with a fair measure of winter rain more late lambs will survive, but losses are still serious. The only solution to this problem is to make sure lambs drop in May-June.

But the presence of late and often unmarked lambs at mating time is a disturbing influence, which makes it hard to advance the established mating pattern.

Attack The Rabbit At Home : Destroy Warrens And Harbourage, J S. Crawford

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

Effective rabbit destruction often calls for a carefully worked out control programme consisting of poisoning, fumigating and warren and harbourage destruction.

Possibly the most effective means of not only controlling rabbits but ultimately eradicating them from holdings is the destruction of warrens and harbourage.

The Sparrow, John L. Long

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

SCATTERED widely throughout the world, sparrows are a nuisance wherever they have become established.

Two species have been introduced to Australia—the House sparrow (Passer domesticus) and the Tree sparrow (Passer montanus.)

Poison Plant Problems, T E H Aplin

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

A POISON plant may be defined as a plant which, when eaten by humans or animals, exerts harmful effects or causes death by virtue of its toxic substances.

Dingo Control : Organised Ground Baiting Drives At Mating Time, C D. Gooding, J. J. Freeth

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

DINGOES in Western Australia, like all "creatures of nature", have a well defined seasonal pattern of behaviour.

This is influenced somewhat by weather variations, but even in remote areas where violent fluctuations in rainfall occur from year to year, the dingo still breeds at roughly the same time.

The numbers of pups born and the numbers which survive each year varies a lot, but life goes on at roughly the same tempo under most seasonal conditions.

One Shot Baiting, C D. Gooding, L. A. Harrison

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

THE Agriculture Protection Board introduced the first of its contract poisoning schemes in 1955 in the lower South-West when three units undertook the first "1080" poisoning for farmers in Western Australia.

The originators of one-shot baiting describe this new technique and explain how it should be used for best results on the farm.

Wallaby Control In The Kimberleys, C D. Gooding

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

EXPERIMENTS aimed at controlling sandy wallabies along the Fitzroy River frontage were started in 1952 by officers of the Agriculture Protection Board.

This work was undertaken in response to requests for assistance from some of the station owners and managers between Derby and Fitzroy Crossing.

The Webworm. 3. Ecology : A Report On Some Of The Factors Which Regulate Webworm Numbers In The Field, J A. Button

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

IN this section the webworm will be examined in its environment, and particular attention will be given to the more important factors which govern numbers and distribution of the insects.

Milking Routine, G R. Olney

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

IT is well known that the condition of the milking machine is important for efficient and hygienic milking, but even with a machine in good condition good management during the milking process plays a leading part.

Ant Pests In Western Australia, Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

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

THERE are many different species of native ants in Western Australia, but few of these are of major economic importance.

Several introduced species however, have spread extensively and have proved troublesome both as agricultural and household pests.

Webworm And The Weather, J A. Button

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

FOR many years farmers have remarked on the cyclic occurrence of webworm outbreaks in their cereal crops.

Webworm, the State's most serious pest of cereals, has frequently assumed a role of major importance for one or two seasons, and then not been troublesome for a number of years.

A research programme being carried out by the Entomology Branch aims to give a better understanding of the effects of weather conditions on the seasonal incidence of webworm, and should lead to more effective control of this pest.

Bird Problems And Control In Western Australia, John L. Long

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

ALTHOUGH wild birds are mostly beneficial in Western Australia, there are certain species which are damaging to agriculture and the home gardener.

Vermin Control Research In Western Australia 1952-1962, C D. Gooding

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

Ten years ago this month the Agriculture Protection Board of Western Australia began setting up a section within its Vermin Control Branch to tackle some of the scientific aspects of vertebrate pest control.

C. D. Gooding, B.Sc. (Agric), reviews the first 10 years of vermin control research work in Western Australia.

Food For Thought In Rabbit Poisoning, J W. Leighton

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

SINCE the introduction of the "1080" Poisoning Unit Scheme in 1955 by the Agriculture Protection Board reasonable control of rabbit numbers has been obtained.

Besides this many important side effects have resulted.

The House Fly (Musca Domestica), Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

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

MANY insects are so commonly associated with man and his dwellings that they may almost be called domesticated.

In olden days the presence of these insects was accepted as a matter of course, but present knowledge shows that many of them can be important disease carriers while others may cause damage to food and clothing.

Dwarf Fruit Trees, Frank Melville

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

IN this country where most fruits and particularly apples and pears are grown without irrigation, heavy crops and summer stress restrict tree size.

The aim of most growers therefore, has been to grow larger trees and little interest has been shown in trees with dwarfing tendencies.

However, in countries with ideal conditions for growth, trees tend to grow too big and become uneconomic in terms of labour costs.

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.