Soil Science Commons^™

The Australian Field Cricket, J A. Button

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

THE Australian field cricket, or the black field cricket as it is sometimes known, is a native of Australia and is widely distributed throughout the south western, south and south eastern sections of the continent.

Cultivation : Does Haste Mean Waste?, H M. Fisher

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

Many farmers believe that increasing the speed of cultivation and seeding implements will cause deterioration of soils and reduced crop yields.

In a three-year trial on clover ley land at Wongan Hills higher cultivation speeds tended to increase rather than decrease wheat yields. There was some deterioration in the physical structure of the soil.

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.

1964 Drought In Connecticut, The, Byron E. Janes, Joseph J. Brumbach

Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station

No abstract provided.

Kimberley Research Station Progress Report, 1964 : Soil Fertility And Plant Nutrition, D B. Parbery, R. Wetselaar

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

BEFORE 1963, very little work, other than that described in Burvill's original report, had been done on the analysis of Ord soils, nor had their fertility status been clearly defined.

Contour Planting For Hillside Orchards. Part 1, N H. Shorter

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

FRUIT growers intending to plant an orchard on sloping land, would be well advised to consider the suitability of the block for planting on a contour system.

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.

Seed And Pasture Rates For New Dairy Pastures, F E. Ryan

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

THE success or failure of pasture establishment on new land often depends on the interaction of rate of seeding and rate of superphosphate application.

Every year large areas of virgin land are cleared and sown to pasture in the higher rainfall areas, and all-too often the new pasture is not as successful as it should be because too little super is applied, and, in some cases, too little seed.

Sulfur Fertilizers For Alfalfa Production In Nebraska, R. L. Fox, A. D. Flowerday, F. W. Hosterman, H. F. Rhoades, R. A. Olson

Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station: Historical Research Bulletins

In order to elaborate all aspects of the sulfur problem in alfalfa production, a series of field, greenhouse and laboratory experiments was initiated to determine: 1. The influence of sulfur fertilization on the yield of alfalfa in Nebraska. 2. The influence of sulfur fertilization on the protein, vitamin A, and sulfur contents of alfalfa. 3. The sulfur supplying capacities of various soils under field and greenhouse conditions. 4. The sulfur content of precipitation at widely scattered points in Nebraska. 5. Soil properties associated with sulfur deficiency. 6. Optimum methods for estimating the sulfur status of soils by soil testing. The …

Dicalcium Silicate (Brown Mud) As An Agricultural Liming Material, Lyell Thompson, V. H. Ledbetter

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

A Soil And Vegetation Inventory And Analysis Of Three Nebraska Sandhills Range Sites, Donald F. Burzlaff

Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station: Historical Research Bulletins

This study was undertaken to inventory the soils and vegetation of certain areas of the Sandhills and to seek edaphic characteristics that may be the limiting factor in the distribution of various plant species. Information of this nature will permit formulation of more accurate management practices because of a refinement in delineation of range sites.

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.

Farming Without Fallow, H M. Fisher

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

UNDER the more intensive cropping rotations common in the early development of the cereal areas of Western Australia bare fallowing was a basic technique in cereal production.

By ploughing the land in July or August and keeping it bare of vegetation for nine or ten months, either by grazing or cultivation, a substantial beneficial effect on the subsequent crop could be expected.

Bare Patch And Poor Emergence Of Cereals. 3. Crusting Of The Soil Surface, S C. Chambers

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

In some seasons extensive bare patches occur in cereal crops sown on the heavier wheat belt soils.

Experimental results from Beverley indicate that the poor emergence in some of these plantings may be due to crusting of the soil surface.

Working the surface with light harrows may destroy the crust and improve emergence.

Care Of Autumn And Winter Tomato Crops, W H. Kooyman

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

I N recent years there has been a considerable increase in plantings of autumn and winter tomatoes in the Perth metropolitan market garden area.

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.

Orchard Drainage, R G. Cahill

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

UNDERGROUND drainage of orchard land is an essential feature of fruitgrowing which is overlooked by many orchardists.

Soils should be adequately drained to cope with all winter rains.

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.

Potassium Deficiency In Medium Rainfall Areas, William John Toms

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

IT is well known that potassic fertilisers must be used for the successful growth of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) on many soils in the higher rainfall districts of Western Australia.

Recent investigations have shown that some soils in medium rainfall districts are also too low in potassium to grow healthy subterranean clover pastures.

Healthy Pastures, F E. Ryan

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

IN sweeping away forests to make room for pastures we have taken on the responsibility of maintaining these areas in a condition suitable for the growth of pasture plants.

This is done by a choice of suitable species, fertilising, cultivating, drainage, control of grazing and by weed and insect control.

The Use Of Lime In Market Gardens, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE term "lime" when used in relation to agriculture means any calcium containing material that is capable of correcting soil acidity.

While generally used for this purpose, lime has many other equally important functions in the soil.

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.

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 …

The Influence Of Soil Moisture Suction And Evaporative Demand On Actual Evapotranspiration And Yield Of Alfalfa, Bozorg Bahrani

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Evapotranspiration has been defined as the combination of evaporation of water from the soil surface and transpiration of water by vegetation. If the ground is well covered by plants, most of the water is lost by transpiration of water directly from the plant tissue, rather than by evaporation of water directly from the soil surface. The term consumptive use is synonymous with evapotranspiration.

The Development Of Western Australian Sand Plain Soils For Agriculture, Richard Philip Roberts, F. L. Shier

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

IN a recently published economic survey of the Australian wheat growing industry, it was reported that nearly two-thirds of the farms surveyed in Western Australia were located on lateritic "sand plain."

As a random selection was made of the eighty farms that were visited it is reasonable to conclude that a similar proportion of all the State's wheat producing farms are on that type of country.

This constitutes a remarkable change from the earlier days of wheat belt settlement when the sand plain soils were regarded as virtually useless and by-passed for development.

It is the purpose of this article …

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.

Commercial Vegetable Growing In The Perth Metropolitan Region, L T. Jones

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

MARKET gardening with sprinkler irrigation on deep sandy soils around Perth is really a commercial application of hydroponics or sand culture principles.

Provision of a continuous and adequate supply of nitrogen is the major problem. Peat swamps scattered among the sandy areas have higher natural fertility. However, their common problems are drainage, acidity ("sourness"), salt and various special soil deficiencies. Over-liming of acid swamps can cause new problems.

Influence Of Various Factors On Aggregation Of Peorian Loess By Microorganisms, T. M. Mccalla, Francis A. Haskins, E. F. Frolik

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soil structure is important in the attainment of adequate aeration for the aerobic microorganisms whose activities maintain such higher plant nutrients as sulfur, phosphorus, and nitrogen in a highly oxidized and thus readily available state. Good soil structure is also necessary for soil and water conservation, Under Nebraska conditions microorganisms and their decomposition products constitute a major source of soil-aggregating agents. The decomposition of crop residues and plant roots is important in the nutrition of these aggregating microorganisms. Other microorganisms, however, also utilize crop residues and plant roots, and they may decompose the aggregating agents as well, so that the …

Granular Fertiliser, C R. Hale

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

There is general agreement that granulation of fertilisers improves their physical characteristics with respect to handling, storage and distribution in the field. These physical advantages rather tan any established agronomic reason appear to be responsible for the increasing use of granular fertiliser.

Commercial Fertilizers For Winter Wheat In Relation To The Properties Of Nebraska Soils, R. A. Olson, H. F. Rhoades

Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station: Historical Research Bulletins

It is the purpose of this bulletin to report the investigations that have been made correlating soil properties and fertilization practices with yields of winter wheat. Since the success or failure of fertilization practices is so dependent on specific soil conditions, an attempt has been made here to further characterize the major soils of the different sections of the state which are devoted to wheat production and to analyze fertilizer practices and results in relation to the soil properties determined. The data are summarized for the four sections of the state designated as southeastern, east-south-central, west-south-central and western Nebraska. These …