and one

The timber of the old buildings has been utilised in various ways, in particular is worthy of mention. It consists of a small building situated at a convenient distance from the dairy, for the purpose of bacon-curing, under the special management of the Principal. This house is divided into three rooms, entrance to which is gained from one end. The first room, 10 by 10 feet, on the floor contains a brine tank divided into two compartments, having each a capacity sufficient for six pigs. The second room, 8 by 10 feet, is the dryingroom, where a fan is erected for producing a rapid circulation of air. The third room, 8 by 10 feet, is the smoke-room, in which the bacon is subjected to fumigation prior to packing and placing away in dry salt and bran.

Some of the old buildings timber will reappear in the implement-shed referred to above, and in a blacksmith's shop adjoining.

FARM CROPS.

About 13 acres of grasses are just appearing above ground and growing well under the recent 4-inch of rain. Prairie-grass (Bromus unioloides) and Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) are both growing nicely. Rye-grass (Lolium perenne) is doing remarkably well. These grasses are planted in drills 12 inches apart with the "Champion" seed drill.

Hard Fescue (Festuca duriuscula) has germinated, but is not growing well. Creeping Bent-grass is not satisfactory. Kentucky Blue-grass (Poa pratensis) is just starting, and growing well. Timothy (Phleum pratense) is growing remarkably well.

About six acres of Field Peas (Pisum sativum arvense) and Vetches (Vicia sativa) are growing well.

Twelve acres of potatoes are looking healthy and clean. An experiment is being carried out in connection with this crop by planting with and without

Jadoo Fibre.

A splendid crop of wheat mixed with Lucerne (Medicago sativa) is yielding about 10 tons of green stuff to the acre. The lucerne grows rapidly after the crop is cut. In this experiment only 16 lb. of wheat was sown to the acre, the result showing a high percentage of germination in the seed and production in the plant.

Beyond the orchard, crops of wheat and barley were sown to the extent of 70 acres. They promise good yields from newly broken-up land.

EXPERIMENTAL CROPS.

On the road passing through the estate to the Lockyer Creek may be seen a number of interesting experimental crops. The shallow and deep planting of Prairie-grass is very instructive-a marked contrast in favour of the latter is very noticeable; also the difference in the growth of broadcast and drilling is very much in favour of the latter. Cocksfoot is a fine healthy plant. Rye-grass looks remarkably well in spite of unfavourable conditions. since sowing. A crop of malting barley is just saved by the timely rain. Nepaul barley is not growing well. A plot of German and Egyptian lentils sown on the 20th July appears to be growing well.

Non Plus Ultra turnip radish is growing well, as also the French breakfast

carrot.

The Altraingham carrot was sown later, and looks healthy.

In the mangel wurtzel plots it is evident that the Long Red is superior to the Yellow Globe.

That very fine onion, the Brown Spanish, is growing well.

A most interesting experiment is a plot of 15 drills of English malting barley obtained from the Hon. Geo, Graham, M.L.A., of Victoria, who recently paid a visit to the College. The seed, of fine quality, was planted 6 inches apart, resulting in a close-growing crop, showing as many as 20 stems to each plant.

A plot of mangolds-the Golden Tankard-is growing well.

Of the different varieties of turnip, the White Globe is particularly juicy and healthy.

EXPERIMENTAL WHEATS.

Interesting experiments in hybridising of wheats are to be commenced next week.

Out of 38 varieties, the following planted on the 23rd of May are available:

Paspalum dilatatum is planted out from roots, and growing.

Marshall's No. 9 is planted on 25 acres in an adjoining field, and Marshall's No. 3 on 10 acres. An experiment in feeding down this crop, or part of it, has shown good results.

THE ORCHARD.

The orchard is in good condition. The strawberries are growing well after the rain. Of these the Marguerites have suffered considerably from leaf blight. They were sprayed with Bordeaux mixture.

The Pink's Prolific and Hautboy are not at all affected. Pruning of fruit trees has all been finished. Some of the peach-trees were affected with black aphis. Spraying with whale oil and black leaf extract of tobacco formed an interesting experiment for a number of students. As a result there will be a good crop of peaches. The figs are also looking well. There are a few apricots on the young trees, and a prospective crop of Japanese plums.

The citrus trees are coming into flower. Many of the grafts made by students are growing. The vines (trellised) are showing signs of life. Half an acre of asparagus has been planted as an experiment. It is just beginning

to grow.

The sisal hemp fibre plant is growing well and requires no attention.
Several varieties of new climbing beans are just above ground.

There is a large supply of broad beans and a plot of beetroot under observation, the seed of which has been supplied from Southern Europe by Mr. Finucane. It includes five different varieties, all of which are doing well.

TREE PLANTING.

An avenue is planted from the College to the railway siding. The trees selected are the Oriental Plane (Platanus orientalis) and the Pepper-tree (Schinus molle).

A vineyard of two acres has been laid out near the Principal's house. These are under the supervision of Mr. Rainford, and an olivetum adjoining, of about two acres, under Mr. Voller.

carry

STOCK.

Two mules, obtained from Buaraba Station, have taken kindly to work, and the mail, &c., to Gatton.

NOTE. In addition to the natural grasses the dairy cows were fed on green Cape barley, which was fed to them both night and morning, the quantity consumed being at the rate of 52.5 lb. per head per day.

THE SUNFLOWER.

BY HENRY A. TARDENT,

Manager of the Biggenden Experiment Farm.

THE Sunflower (Helianthuus annuus) is a Composita. Its stem is cylindrical in form, full of a kind of soft pith, and reaches a height of from 6 to 12 feet. The leaves are alternate, broad, hairy, heart-shaped, and from 8 to 15 inches long The flowers, with their golden yellow petals, are the very image of a radiating sun. Hence its name, and not, as some people think, because it always turns its face towards the sun, although the plant has a tendency to do

In larger varieties the flowers or heads, as they are called, reach sometimes 18 inches in diameter. When the seeds are ripe they are so thickly set that as many as 2,000 or 3,000 find place in a single head. These seeds are slightly wedge-shaped, and vary in colour, some being quite black, whilst others are grey or white streaked with black.

There are, of course, different varieties of the sunflower. The most profitable to grow is undoubtedly the Giant Russian, of which each head contains from 1,000 to 2,000 seeds. It is closely followed by the Black-seeded variety. The Small-seeded is distinguished by the great number of its flowers, which are very ornamental, though of much smaller size than in other varieties.

For certain countries, such as the United States of America and Russia, the sunflower occupies an important place in rural economy. But here, in Queensland, I do not think that its cultivation has ever been attempted on a commercial scale. It is, however, admirably adapted to our soil and climate. During the last 10 years, I have grown it successfully under a great variety of circumstances and seasons, and have found that it succeeded as well in the dry West as on the Downs and here, further north, at Biggenden. Its cultivation is also very simple. The best land for it is on deep, well-drained loam, such as is to be found on the banks of our rivers and in our scrubs. It does also well on forest lands which are not too sticky. The land should be worked deeply and well pulverised by the implements and means indicated in my previous article on Maize (Q.A.J. Dec. 1898).

The sunflower takes its origin from Central America, and is, in consequence, sensitive to frost. It cannot, therefore, be sown before the late spring frosts are over. The best time is from September to February inclusive. For larger varieties, the rows should be from 2 feet 6 inches to 3 feet apart, and the seed from 10 to 18 inches apart in the row. In that way, from 4 to 5 lb. will be sufficient to sow an acre, and the return may be fairly estimated as from 40 to 50 bushels per acre. It grows rapidly, the crop being usually ready for harvest in three months. A very expeditious way to harvest it is to cut the stem close to the ground by means of the horse corn-cutter described in the above-quoted article, and then to cart home stems and heads together. If such an implement is not available, then the work, though much slower, can be done with a sharp reaping-hook or a long knife. The heads should be then dried as quickly as possible, so as to avoid the formation of mouldiness in their fleshy parts and on the seeds; as soon as dry enough, they can be threshed, winnowed, and bagged.

During the growth the cultivation consists in keeping the land clean and well pulverised, so as to break the capillary pores of the soil and thus keep the moisture in the ground. This is a very important point, as the sunflower is one of the greatest known evaporisers of moisture. When the plant is full grown it will evaporate from 1 to 2 lb. of water in 24 hours. As evaporation is always accompanied by the production of cold, it follows that the sunflower is, as well as the banana, a good plant to grow near dairies and other places which require to be kept cool. It is also sometimes planted along marshes to evaporate the moisture and purify the air. The sunflower is, of course, mostly grown for its seeds, which are very nutritious and contain a large quantity of oil. In Russia, where I have seen thousands of acres under that crop, the yield of oil is estimated at from 40 to 50 per cent. of the total weight of the seed. It is in reality much more, but in the process of extraction an important proportion of the oil remains, unfortunately, in the shelly seed envelopes. The oil, though not quite as good as that of the olive and earth-nut, is largely used for salad and cooking purposes. It is usually of a nice straw-yellow colour, sweet and pleasant to the taste. It, however, soon becomes turbid, and solidifies at 16 degrees F. It burns well in the lamp, and is, in addition, largely used in many industries such as in painting, candle and soap manufacture, &c. In Russia enormous quantities of the seeds are consumed by the children and also by adults of the peasant class. They roast them like coffee-beans, crack off the husks, and eat the oily and savoury kernels, which

form no doubt a most healthy and pleasant food. There is really no complete feast or holy day for a country lass or youth without a few pennyworth of the dainty Semotchky.

These sunflower seeds form also a capital feed for poultry, being nearly equal to buckwheat to induce hens to lay. Pigs also like them, and thrive well on them. The oil cake (tourteau) which remains after the extraction of the oil is, for feeding and manurial purposes, as valuable as linseed and cotton-seed cake. In those vast plains or steppes of Russia, where timber is scarce, the sunflower stalks are used as fuel. As their ash is very rich in potash, the latter is carefully collected and sold. Such ashes form, of course, a capital manure and stimulant for plants requiring potash, such as tobacco, coffee shrubs, &c. Like the hemp, which they resemble, the stems of the sunflower are surrounded by a valuable fibre, strong and silky. That fibre can be extracted and treated by means similar to those used for hemp and linseed. The pith of the stem is rich in nitre, which causes it to retain fire like tinder or a cigar, so that in case of snake-bite, for instance, it could be used as a cautery. When soaked in alum the seeds yield a nice blue colour, and from the flowers themselves a nice yellow colour is obtained..

The large leaves form an excellent green feed, greatly relished by all stock. They can also be used as ensilage and hay, but they should not be gathered too dry, as they easily crumble into dust; neither must they be too moist, as mouldiness would be the result.

The sunflower is also a grand bee food. At least the bees think so, for as soon as the heads come into blossom we can see scores of the busy workers occupied in loading their little thigh baskets with pollen and filling their tiny stomachs with the sweet nectar, and then fly to the hive where they will make of it bee bread, honey, or wax. In "Bee Gleanings," Dr. Hitchcock says that, after he had taken off the seeds from the heads, he would use these latter as bee troughs, filling the little cells with feeding syrup, which plan, he says, worked admirably.

Although I have by no means exhausted the numerous uses of the sunflower, I hope I have said enough to induce every farmer to grow a small patch on his farm. It will certainly be utilised under one form or another, and thus add to the general comfort of the inhabitants of the farm. Some district will be found far more suitable for its cultivation than others, and so a new industry may be gradually developed there.

MARKET GARDENING, No. 8.

BY H. W. GORRIE,

Horticulturist, Queensland Agricultural College.

RHUBARB (RHEUM RHAPONTICUM).

THE rhubarb of the garden is a hybrid between R. rhaponticum, and R. hybridum, both of which plants are natives of the temperate regions of Western Asia. Rhubarb was first introduced to England in 1778, and came very rapidly into favour, so that nowadays no garden, however small, is considered complete without a bed of this most useful plant. Besides being utilised for pies, puddings, tarts, &c., a very good and cheap jam may be made from rhubarb.

For family use, I hardly know of a plant which better repays a little care and attention than the "pie plant," as it is called in America.

Rhubarb may be grown in almost any well-drained soil, but a rich deep loam yields the best product. The soil must be both rich and deep, and the deeper it is the quicker will be the growth.

The bed ought to be trenched to a depth of 2 feet, and very heavily manured with good stable and cowyard manure.

To grow the plants from seeds, a well-manured seed bed should be prepared, and the seed sown in August or September in drills about 1 foot apart. The young plants will require plenty of water in dry weather, and a light shade will also be beneficial to their growth.