yielded nearly twice as much fodder. I also noticed that the cattle preferred the salt-bush, and I certainly believe that it is more nutritious.

I tried transplanting a number of tagosaste plants, and succeeded fairly well, but I find that it is a risky plan, and would not recommend it.

Bokhara Clover (Melilotus leucantha).

Seeds of this plant were sown in drills, 4 feet apart, at the same time as the tagosaste, and the plants were afterwards thinned out to 2 feet apart. They grew strongly for a time, but were attacked by grubs, which nearly denuded them of their leaves. This killed some few of them, and checked the growth of the remainder. The remaining plants, however, soon regained their leaves and grew strongly. The yield was not very heavy, but considering the disadvantages under which the plants were grown, I think that this crop is worthy of further experiment. It stands the hot, dry weather well, and stock appear to be fond of it. I would recommend sowing rather thickly, as the plants are inclined to make strong, woody stalks. Care should be taken not to let the plants get too high, but they should be cut often, and the foliage will be thick and succulent.

Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium, Linn.)

A number of sowings were made in order to ascertain which is the best time to sow, and so far plants grown from seeds sown in April have done the best. The plants made a strong growth, and produced a mass of rich, succulent fodder, somewhat resembling a giant clover. Cuttings were made in September and October. The plants left for seed came into flower in November, and continued to flower for from six weeks to two months, and then produced a heavy crop of seed. When the plants were in flower the plot presented a very striking appearance, being completely covered with deep, rich, red blossoms.

During the summer months this crop did not succeed very well, being much parched by the hot, dry weather. As the season was such a trying one, the test was hardly a fair one; but still I am rather doubtful of sulla being of much value as a fodder crop in this district. I am, however, inclined to think, that it would succeed well in colder and more moist districts, and would advise farmers giving it a trial. Stock are exceedingly fond of it, and it appears to be especially suitable for milch cows.

Wagner's Flat Pea (Lathyrus silvestris, Linn.).

This plant has now been under trial here for more than two years, and of all the fodder plants tried it is undoubtedly the greatest failure. Several sowings of seeds were made on different soils and at different seasons. Other methods of propagation were tried, such as division of the roots, &c., but not one of these was a success. The plants grow, but they suffer from heat, drought, and frosts. Instead of the enormous yields which it is said to give, not a single cutting could be made in two years, and the plants grown from seed sown two years ago are just as backward as any.

Sacaline (Polygonum sacalinense).

This is another so-called forage-plant which I am afraid will cause a lot of disappointment. Coming here, as it does, with such a wonderful reputation, one expects some great results; but the trials at Wagga Wagga seem to point to its being anything but a valuable forage plant. It is true that the past summer was a very trying one, and therefore the plants did not get a fair chance. Before condemning it entirely, I shall give it further trials, and publish the results. The method of culture adopted was as follows:-A small seed-bed was formed of very fine sandy soil; this was raked very carefully, and then pressed gently with the back of the spade. The seeds were then sown and covered lightly by sprinkling fine soil over them. The bed was well watered regularly with a watering-pot having a fine rose. The seeds germinated well, and the plants grew strongly as long as they were well watered. They were transplanted into a large bed of sandy soil, being put in rows 3 ft. x 3 ft. They made a fine growth till reaching a height of 18 inches. This was in January. The weather was very hot and dry, and the plants then began to wilt badly. They remained quite at a standstill for two months, and then died down to the ground. I notice that they are now (August) making a fresh growth, and hope for better success this coming

season.

Prickly Comfrey (Symphytum asperrinum).

A number of roots of this plant were obtained from the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, and planted out in rows 2 feet apart, and 18 inches between each root in the rows. Every root grew, and the plants have done

fairly well; but after eighteen months' trial I am sure that prickly comfrey is not of the slightest value as a fodder plant for the warm dry parts of the Colony, such as Wagga.

Serradella (Crinthopus sativus, Brot.).

Appears to be of no value here. Grows well, and yields large crops of seed. The quantity of foliage it produces is very small, and, so far as I can tell, the bees did not appear to be particularly fond of the flowers. Its chief recommendations were as a forage and bee plant. It may, therefore, be considered as valueless for this district.

Jersey Tree Kale, and Thousand-headed Kale.

Plots of these two kales were sown in March 1895 and 1896, and much to my astonishment, some remarkable yields were obtained from them. They resisted the dry weather, and made an enormous growth, as will be seen on reference to above photograph. I have never at any time advocated growing these plants in any other part of the Colony than the colder portions of

the tablelands and the South Coast district, i.e., in cool, moist climates. I was, therefore, surprised to find that during the past hot and dry summer, they yielded a heavy crop without the aid of irrigation. Although several cuttings have been made from the plants grown from seed sown in 1895, they are still strong and healthy, and continue to produce heavy crops of leaf. I would strongly urge pastoralists to try these plants for "topping off" sheep, a purpose for which large areas of this crop are devoted to in England. They are also valuable for cattle feeding.

Trials of Saltbush at Wagga Wagga.

BY GEORGE VALDER,

Manager, Wagga Wagga Experiment Farm.

FROM the commencement of my residence at Wagga Wagga I became convinced that there was a great work to be done in bringing saltbush of various species into cultivation on a large scale, and I at once turned my attention to them. At first I found great difficulty in getting a start, as consignments of plants from the far west had in nearly every instance sweated, through bad packing, and therefore were valueless. Since then, however, I have managed to get some few plants to grow, and from these I have propagated a large number by cuttings. Small beds have been sown with seeds of different species, and the plots are steadily increasing, until now there is every prospect of my soon having a number of species covering fairly large areas. The following are the kinds experimented with.

ATRIPLEX NUMMULARIA, Linn.-" OLD MAN SALTBUSH."

Seeds and cuttings were tried, the best results were obtained from seeds sown in autumn, and cuttings planted out at the same time. The seeds were sown in beds, and the young plants transplanted out when about 5 inches. high into a large plot of well worked sandy soil. They were put in drills 4 feet apart, the plants being two feet apart in the drills. When they had made a strong growth I took out every other one, thus making them 4 feet by 4 feet. I find that this is quite close enough, for in ten months the plants were 6 or 7 feet high and touching. Another large plot was sown broadcast,and the seed raked in, but although I obtained a number of plants I do not consider this a good plan as the saltbush seeds are slow in germinating, and, the plots get covered with weeds. I am afraid that this slowness of germination will much retard any attempts at cultivating saltbush on a large scale, and I would advise sowing in seed beds and transplanting, Although this is a slow process it will pay well. Sowing seed in drills was tried, but this also was not a success.

Medium-sized

Propagation by means of cuttings was very successful. wood, about 12 to 15 inches in length, was used. The cuttings were planted in drills the same distance apart as the young plants, i.e., 4 feet by 2, and every other plant in the drill removed when they had made a fair growth. They were put in about 6 to 8 inches deep, and the soil was then pressed tightly round them. If this system is adopted in showery weather in the autumn, there is every prospect of success, and large areas can thus rapidly be planted out. From twenty-five to thirty plants twelve months old produce sufficient cuttings to plant an acre.

D

ATRIPLEX HALIMOIDES, Lindl.

This species is of a dwarf growing habit, and it does not require so much room as the "Old Man." Seed-beds were sown in the autumn, and plants transplanted early in spring, they grew very luxuriantly, and produced an enormous crop of seeds. These seeds blew over a large tract of cultivation, and since then I have noticed them growing in all sorts of situations, thus proving how well they are suited to this district.

ATRIPLEX LEPTOCARPA, F.V.M.

Seeds of this species were also sown in seed-beds and transplanted. It is of a creeping nature, and does not grow so strongly as the former although appearing to thrive well. It has not seeded yet, but will, I think, soon produce a heavy yield of seed.

ATRIPLEX SEMI BACCATA, R. BR.

This species was only received this last autumn, but the young plants are growing very strongly, and, I believe, it will prove one of the best of the dwarf-growing saltbushes.