Other Plant Sciences Commons^™

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.

Paspalum Vaginatum For Salty Seepages, C V. Malcolm

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

Paspalum vaginatum, aptly termed "sea shore paspalum" has over the last fifteen years shown an amazing ability to thrive in wet salty situations.

Seed of the grass is not available but it may easily be established by planting pieces.

This article reviews where and how the grass may be used.

Plan For The Pilbara, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

A DOUBLE-BARRELLED plan for pasture regeneration and vermin control put into action by the Department of Agriculture this year gives promise for the rehabilitation of the run-down pastoral country in the rugged Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Wimmera Rye Grass : Major Pasture Grass Of The Cereal And Sheep Areas, H G. Cariss

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

MANY of the volunteer pasture species of the cereal and sheep areas seed profusely, persist well and produce useful early green feed.

Mostly, however, they produce poor quality herbage of low forage value, particularly during the spring and summer months.

The seeds of many species cause problems in stock husbandry and lower the value of wool.

Facial Eczema In West Australian Sheep, M R. Gardiner, M. Nairn

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

SINCE 1894 when the disease was first described in New Zealand, the term "facial eczema" has been used to describe a specific photosensitization of sheep in that country.

Transplanting Summer Seedlings, W Dawson

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

IN almost any flower garden there are occasions for a certain amount of transplanting, even if it is only to readjust the spacing between plants which have come up irregularly from seed sown directly in the garden.

Perennial Flowers From Seed For Colourful Summer Borders, W Dawson

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

IT is just as easy to grow perennial flowers from seed as it is annuals, in some ways it is actually easier.

Bluebush Seed : Cleaning, Drying And Storing, C V. Malcolm

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

BLUEBUSH (Kochia brevifolia) is a perennial plant which occurs naturally in Western Australia.

In the past it has attracted little attention, but in recent years it has created interest as a highly nutritious and salt tolerant plant well adapted to certain salt affected soils in the wheatbelt.

A previous article (Bulletin No. 2630) by Smith and Malcolm drew attention to its use. One of the problems in establishing bluebush is to obtain seed supplies.

Good Pasture On A Problem Soil, R Sprivulis

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

The acid peaty sands of the South-West have always been problem soils, and are often considered useless.

But, by following recommended establishment methods, farmers like Mr. F. E. Bellanger, of Nornalup, have shown that it can carry valuable pasture.

Rust Of Snapdragons, O M. Goss

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

RUST caused by the fungus Puccinia antirrhini 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.

Reclaim Salty Soils With Bluebush, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

BLUEBUSH (Kochia brevifolia) is an Australian plant which can produce good yields of excellent feed when grown on grown well drained salty soils in the 12 to 15-inch rainfall districts of Western Australia.

The Control Of Grasses With Chemicals, G R W Meadly

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

GRASSES are among man's greatest assets and usually he tries to encourage their growth.

The cereals, rice and many other grasses supply him with basic items of food and they are also important components of pastures which provide grazing for sheep and cattle.

Castor Beans In Trial Plantings : Bundidup Research Station, Wokalup, 1959-60, T Pavy

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

THE main producing countries of the world are Brazil, India, U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. This means Australia has to import her supplies of castor oil, which has led to great interest in the possibility of growing castors in Australia.

Since the turn of the century, this interest has been increasing, and has accelerated in recent years, but it has never passed the experimental stage.

Registered Fertilisers : 1960-61, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE FOLLOWING REGISTERED FERTILISERS AND ANALYSES ARE SUPPLEMENTARY TO THE LIST PUBLISHED IN THE JANUARY 1961 ISSUE OF THE JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE

Bordeaux Mixture, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

BORDEAUX mixture is still proving a most effective spray against many serious plant diseases in this State despite the increasing use of the newer organic fungicides.

When properly made and applied it adheres to the plants with great tenacity and strongly resists the weathering action by rain.

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.

Establishing Saltland Pastures, C V. Malcolm

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

WITH the approach of winter, thoughts are turning to the seeding season. It will therefore be appropriate to discuss methods of establishing saltland pastures.

This discussion will be restricted to "bluebush," creeping saltbush, and old man saltbush. Seed of these plants is available from local stock firms.

Avoid Losses From Poison Plants, Robert Dunlop Royce

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

E VERY country in the world has its poisonous plant problems, but in Western Australia we have more than our share.

Farmers in "Poison" districts can avoid serious stock losses if they can recognise dangerous poison plants, and have a knowledge of how the concentrations of toxic substances in these plants change with the seasons.

In this article, R. D. Royce, Officer in Charge of the Botany Branch, outlines the principles involved.

Winter Pests In The Pasture, P N. Forte

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

ALTHOUGH the pests concerned in attacking winter pastures are known to most farmers a discussion of their control and relative importance will not be out of place.

The principal pests concerned fall into two groups. Firstly the red-legged earth mite and lucerne flea whose attacks are most noticeable soon after germination and secondly a group of caterpillars which appear about the same time and whose attack is not noticed until a large amount of damage has been done.

Salty Seepages Can Be Productive, C V. Malcolm

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

MUCH has been said and written concerning the use of Paspalum vaginatum for growing on seepage areas, but the general production to be expected from seepage areas has not received much attention.

The fact is that properly handled, seepage areas can be quite productive, and can be valuable for summer grazing.

Salt Land Management : Too Early To Graze Bluebush, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

M ANY people, including research officers in this Department, have examined bluebush and saltbush plantings in spring, and, finding nothing, have assumed failure.

Tree Lucerne : A Fodder Crop With A Future, Laurence C. Snook

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

IN December, 1952, an article was published in this Journal drawing attention to the potential value of white flowered tree lucerne (Cytisus prolifer) as a source of nutritious green fodder during the dry summer months.

Figures were quoted to show that heavy yields could be obtained year after year with very little effort, and no outlay other than for fertiliser.

The advantages to be gained from the cultivation of this tree were made very apparent and many farmers set out to grow the shrub.

Plant Diseases In Western Australia, S C. Chambers

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

This first supplement contains the diseases recorded on vegetables, cereals, grasses and pasture legumes, in the period between the publication of the revised lists (1), (2) for these hosts, and June 30, 1961

Microorganisms And Soil Structure, T. M. Mccalla, F. A. Haskins

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

SUMMARY

Good stable soil structure is valuable for promoting the growth of plants and micro-organisms by permitting enhanced aeration and water penetration and by decreasing erosion under some conditions.

Micro-organisms influence water percolation through the soil. They may plug up soil pores with byproducts of growth and reduce water percolation. On the other hand, if a soil containing a large amount of microbial products is stirred and allowed to dry, then the percolation may be high.

Micro-organisms are involved in stabilizing soil structure by their products of decomposition and their cellular binding material, such as mycelia. Microorganisms differ greatly in …

Pensternon In Your Garden, Glenn Viehmeyer

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

A new race of hardy perennials is beginning to appear in American gardens. These are the penstemons, a genus of plants closely related to the familiar snapdragon, which may become important ornamentals as they become better known to gardeners. The purpose of this bulletin is to show the possibility of the genus as an ornamental and to suggest species and species hybrids of possible value to Great Plains gardeners; to provide information about propagation and culture; and to encourage gardeners to engage in penstemon breeding as an avocation.

Bluebush Seed Supplies, C V. Malcolm

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

A GREAT deal of publicity has been given of late to the value of bluebush (Kochia brevifolia) as a plant for some types of salt-affected land, particularly in the drier parts of the wheatbelt.

Obtaining seed supplies can be a problem, but fortunately large amounts of seed are not required since once a few bushes are established they will spread seed over the intervening areas.

Thus rates of 1 to 2 lb of seed per acre have been found quite satisfactory.

The Fruit Industry In Other Lands. 2. The Netherlands, Frank Melville

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

DURING a week spent in Holland, visits were made to the International Agricultural Centre, Wageningen, the Fruit Research Station, Wilhelminadorp, the Virus Indexing Station, Emmeloord, the Glass House Research Station, Naaldwyk, and the fruit and flower auctions at Naaldwyk and Aalsmeer.

Visits to commercial orchards were limited by time.

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.