Other Plant Sciences Commons^™

Department Of Agriculture Services : The Botany Branch And The W.A. Herbarium, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

ALTHOUGH the flora of Western Australia strongly attracted early botanists and collectors, it was virtually neglected by settlers faced with a century or more of hard pioneering.

Only recently has enthusiasm for our remarkable flora developed within the State and, with the formation of sponsoring societies and the establishment of the Kings Park Botanic Gardens, native species have become popular in home and civic gardens.

A Measure Of Clover Infertility In Ewes, N Davenport

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

SERIOUS impairment of the breeding ability of ewes grazed for prolonged periods on growing pastures containing dominant subterranean clover has been experienced in Western Australia for many years.

The first widespread recognition of the problem coincided with the upsurge of improved pasture establishment based on the Dwalganup variety of subterranean clover in the higher rainfall sections of the wheatbelt and adjacent sheep raising areas to the west and south.

Consumption And Digestion Of Dry Cupped Clover, E T. Bailey

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

FARMERS often ask if sheep eat the dry seed heads of cupped clover (Trifolium cherleri) and, if so, how much of the seed is digested.

Trees Of Western Australia, Charles Austin Gardner

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

It is not desirable to give locality names to plants unless their range is fully underwood.

Such names can be very misleading.

Thr following is an illistrated discussion of the identification of five Western Australian trees.

Loquat Diseases : Black Spot And Fleck, R F. Doepel

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

Black spot is common on loquats and renders affected fruit unmarketable.

Another disfiguring fungal disease, fleck, has also become established in this State.

The newer fungicide dodine is recommended for controlling both these diseases.

Report On A Visit To Israel August-September 1964, D J. Carder

Soil conservation survey collection

The main features in which farming methods and the environment in Israel differ from those in Western Australia, as they appeared to me, are:- the dominant sedimentary and limestone geology with its accompanying soil and moisture conditions population pressure which puts a premium on agricultural productivity and research the widespread use of sprinkler irrigation. These factors interact in various ways so that, although many problems are similar in the two countries (both have many pioneering problems remaining) the approaches to them vary considerably.

Dairy Farming In The Busselton-Margaret River District. Part 2. Stocking Rate And Production, R A. Bettenay

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

Survey results suggest that the production of butterfat per acre could be doubled on many farms in the Busselton-Margaret River district.—Second in a series of articles reporting a survey of farm practices on 100 farms in the district.

Recommendations For Doublegee, Geoffrey A. Pearce

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

Is it worth losing the legume component of the pasture in order to kill the doublegee?

Inoculation And Lime Pelleting Of Leguminous Seeds, O M. Goss, W. A. Shipton

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

MOST of the extensive areas of new land being brought into cultivation in Western Australia are very sparsely populated with the rhizobial root nodule bacteria which are essential for successful legume pasture establishment.

These bacteria, therefore, must be introduced into the soil where, under favourable conditions, they will develop nodules on the roots (Fig. 1).

Puccinellia : Outstanding Saltland Grass, C V. Malcolm, S. T. Smith

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

"Puccinellia" is a tussocky perennial grass with an outstanding ability to survive salty and waterlogged conditions.

Considerable areas of saltland in Western Australia are suited to its growth.

Seed is now available commercially and in this article the conditions to which the grass is suited are described and establishment and management methods are suggested.

Slime Moulds [Replaced By Farmnote 114/77], Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

DURING autumn and spring, yellow or grey masses of slimy or powdery material suddenly appear on the blades of lawn grass and other low-growing plants and render them unsightly.

The organisms responsible are known as slime moulds.

Pasture Seeds : 1965 Statistics And Comments, B J. Quinlivan

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

A KNOWLEDGE of market conditions and procedures is not of direct importance to some primary producers.

For example, cereal growers as individuals are neither in a position to negotiate prices nor does their production have any direct effect on prices.

Range Feeding Of Cotton By-Products In The Kimberleys, John Hubert Auty

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

Commercial cotton production has started in the Ord River area and by-products of the industry will soon be available for stock feeding in the surrounding pastoral areas.

Cotton seed and cotton seed meal will cause digestive upsets if fed in any quantity to horses, poultry or pigs.

Ruminants have no trouble in handling the material and the Kununurra ginnery could supply a useful protein supplement for Kimberley cattle.

Plants For Saltland : This Is Bluebush, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

Bluebush occurs naturally in the 12-16 inch rainfall belt in Western Australia.

It provides very productive and nutritious fodder.

Establishing Wheatbelt Pastures? Don't Use A Cover Crop, J A C Smith, D. B. Argyle

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

One of the factors which influence the establishment of improved pasture in the West Australian wheatbelt is whether the pasture legume is sown with a cover crop or not.

Mediocre establishment can follow when a cover crop is used and it is recommended that, for rapid establishment, any pasture legume should be sown without a cover crop.

Rust Of Snapdragons, O M. Goss

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

RUST is possibly the most destructive disease attacking antirrhinums or snapdragons.

In Western Australia, the disease first appeared in 1955 and since that time has become very prevalent and widespread, frequently with devastating effects.

Plants For Saltland : Samphire, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE photograph shows two bushes of "samphire" (mainly Arthrocnemum spp).

This common name is ascribed to several plants, all of which occur naturally in the agricultural areas in Western Australia.

A Revised List Of Diseases Of Ornamental Plants Recorded In Western Australia, O M. Goss

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

THIS list of ornamental diseases constitutes a revision of portion of the census published by Carne (1925) and added to by the same author in 1927.

It contains also records of diseases identified in the period between these earlier publications and June 30, 1961.

Flower Greening And Witches' Broom, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE flower "greening" and witches' broom diseases may be found in a variety of plants.

Susceptible garden species include phlox, gerberas, vincas, dahlias, geraniums, asters and many others.

Supplementary List Of Disease Recorded On Various Hosts In Western Australia, G C. Macnish

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

THIS supplement contains the diseases recorded on all hosts during the period July 1, 1961 and June 30, 1963 inclusive.

A few disease records omitted from previous census have been incorporated. A list of previous publications in this series is appended. Also appended is a list of common names of host plants to facilitate reference.

Put Garden Rubbish To Work In A Compost Heap, W Dawson

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

THERE'S a surprising amount of mumbo jumbo written about the simple compost heap. By the time you've waded through all the instructions, you feel as if you ought to have prerequisites of a doctorate in soil chemistry or an unbroken ancestry of at least three generations of professional English gardeners.

Yanchep National Park, Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

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

YANCHEP National Park lies just over 30 miles north of Perth, and was gazetted as an A Class Reserve in 1905.

It covers more than 6,000 acres.

Saltland Notes : Don't Put Sheep In Yet, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

If you have sown bluebush or saltbush this year, keep the sheep out.

Insect Pests Of Lawns. Part 3, D G. Shedley

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

DISTORTION of leaves and stems, general unthriftiness and bleaching of the leaves are typical symptoms of damage by sap sucking insects in lawns.

Weeds In Lawns. 1. Identification Of Weeds In Lawns, Robert Dunlop Royce

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

ACCURATE identification of weeds is the first principal of weed control with modern chemicals.

This is as true for weeds in lawns as any other weeds.

Insect Pests Of Lawns., D G. Shedley

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

Lawns provide a home for many and varied insects. Although a large number do little or no damage there are some which, if left unchecked, will make it impossible to maintain the grass in good condition.

SPRAYING with insecticides is not always the best answer to pest problems. Manuring, cutting and watering must be maintained at proper levels. In fact, if this is not done the attacks of at least some pests will be more severe.

Light Lands In Western Australia. 3. Microbiological Problems In The Establishment Of Legumes On Light Lands, C A. Parker

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

EXPERIENCE has shown that the establishment of leguminous pastures is essential for successful economic development of Western Australian light lands.

Subterranean clover is the preferred legume in most light land areas, with lupins holding an important place in the more northerly districts, and on the deeper sands.

Grazing To Control Pasture Composition, R A. Bettenay

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

APART from grazing management, there are a number of means by which the farmer can influence pasture composition.

With the exception of grazing, all of these processes involve recurring costs, so it is important to exert the utmost possible control through the grazing animal.

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.

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.