Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 85

John D. Custance, Esq., examined

John D. Custance, Esq., examined.

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

1582. By the commission.—What are you?—The Go-13th April 1886 verment. Profesor of Agriculture in South Australia, and Principal of the Agricultural College at Roseworthy. 1583. Have you had opportunities of seeing various experiments conducted with plants that are not ordinarily grown?—I have been conducting experiments there for the last four years.

1584. The Commission would be glad if you would give them the result of these experiments which were conducted under you supervision?—Under my own supervision at the experimental farm at Rose worthy?

page 69
1585. Perhaps you would tell us the particular plants

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

with which you experimented, or which have been grown?—If you will permit me, I will he very pleased to make a statement, showing you what has been done there.
1586. Yes, we shall be very pleased?—I have not been able to collect full Information with regard to these experiments, but I have here the chief results that we have obtained in a very plain and practical form, more easily adapted to farmers, than from a scientific point of view—that is to say, the information that, we have collected, we have embodied in as practical and plain a form as we possibly could, with the sole object of inducing farmers to improve their system of farming in South Australia, and to induce them to grow some plants that would really be of practical benefit; and I should like it to be distinctly understood that in explaining what we have doue, I do so purely from a practical farmer's point of view. In the frist place, I think that the increased production of other plants than wheat and an improved system of farming are so intimately connected, that I feel obliged to mention the importance of not separating the two subjects; because for the growth of a greater variety of farm plants profitably, which of course is the point to be attended to, more attention must be given to the proper treatment of the land and the utilization of the produce. By deep cultivation—that is, by deeeply stirring the land with the cultivator by means of steam power (that is the steam cultivator), the use of the drill and horse hoe, keeping the land free from weeds; the proper application of cheap manorial substances, such as mineral phosphates, which is a very important point, indeed, and nitrate of soda; the growth of root crops ploughing in or of feeding off green crops, such as mustard, spurrey, buckwheat, &c.—I believe laud can be cropped continually; in fact, can be kept in better condition than by merely allowing the laud to ho uncultivated for a time, weeds nourishing, and the sub-soil, to a great extent, deprived of the beneficial action of rain and air, I think improvement in farming must be effected, not by any one particular remedy, but by a combination of things, each assisting in bringing about the much desired object of obtaining greater produce and greater profit from a given area of land. Under the present depressed condition of agriculture, it is of national importance that some improvement in the system of farming, by which more produce may be obtained, and more profit gained, should he encouraged, that this may be accomplished most successfully. I think farmers require some encouragement to try simple experiments for themselves, such as, say, plots of a quarter acre or half acre each of crops not generally cultivated, such crops being adapted to the soil and climate. My efforts in this direction have been most favourably received, and I feel convinced good results arc being obtained in South Australia. The Agricultural College at Roseworthy supplies information by letter to farmers who send inquiries regarding crops, method of cultivation, &c, and small samples of seeds for trial plots. Visitors to the farm have the advantage of seeing the various crops grown on the farm, and obtaining information from the Professor of Agriculture regarding the operations and experiments conducted there. Lectures of a practical character are delivered page 70

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

in various districts of the colony, assisting in the dis semination of useful information, often induving farmer to try new crops and methods of cultivation, which, perhaps, but for the discussion awakened by the lectores would not have been thought of. In these and other ways agricultural pro-gress and improvement may he much promoted. The first crops I would mention, of vegetable crops other than wheat, properly adapted to a dry country, are root and fodder crops. Last year, at Rose worthy, our rainfall was only 13 inches. I put in for a reference a table of the rainfall for each month, which may be of use presently Under that rainfall we cannot accomplish very great results; it is not to be expected; but we have done a great deal, even with the poor soil and the small rainfall we have at Rosewortby. It being understood that these crops that I now recommend, I recommend of course for a similar locality—poor soil—that is, not a rich soil by any means, and what I may call a deficient rainfall. First I would mention root and fodder crops. 1 have proved the utility, even under the circumstances mentioned, at Roseworthy, of growing those crops during the last foot years, because they provide a supply of green nutritious food during summer, just when we most need it, and clean, or assist in cleaning the land, to improve the condition of land for wheat growing. It is my opinion, from experiments conducted at Roseworthy, that laud thus cropped is in a healthier condition for grain production, wheat grown on land after roots being less liable to suffer from red rust and other parasitic fungi. On poor sandy calcareous soil, last year, after man golds, 32 bushels per acre of Chevalier barley were grown, tibe sample being of first-rate quality for malting purposes. This year the best piece of wheat on the farm is after thousand-headed kale, the land having been cropped for many years, the cropping for the last five years being—1881. wheat; 1882, potatoes; 1883, kohl rabi; 1884, kale: 1885, wheat; 21 lbs. of seed wheat per acre were drilled in rows fifteen inches apart, and though this is the worst season we have had it Roseworthy for twenty years, the yield of wheat was 16½ bushels per acre, and the wheat was 67 lbs. per bushel. I mention these facts to show the benetits to be derived from the growth of root crops in im-proving the condition of the laud for grain crops. Of the various root crops that we have experimented with, mangold-wurzel takes the first place under the conditions for withstanding dry summer weather; good crops have been grown each year without any irrigation. Early in August we drill about 2 lbs. of seed per acre on well prepared ground the drills being 30 inches apart, and the plants thinned to about fifteen inches apart in the drills. The horse hoc is used to keep the land clean and well pulverised. Mangolds may either be PulPed and mixed with straw chaff for horses and cattle, or fed oil the ground by sheep. We have done both. Pulped mangolds mixed with chaff may be stored for months in a shed if trodden down firmly and a little salt added. Sugar beet may also be successfully grown without irrigation, and the refuse pulp from the factory used on the farm. Kohl-rabi is a very hardy crop and useful for sheep feed during summer; this crop has page 71 been grown without irrigation at Roseworthy.

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

Carrots and turnips have also yielded good crops, but from the expeuse of raising carrots where wages are high they cannot be recommended as a farm crop. Thousand-beaded kale is a plant I especially recommend amongst all fodder plants. I think that is the best that can be successfully grown without irrigation. I will put in a list of 100 plants that Ave have tried, and I do not know one superior to thousand-headed kale. It produces a large quantity of nutritious food, and food much relished by stock. You may grow, according to the quality of the soil, from 20 to 30 tons per acre without irrigation. The plants grown last year at Rose worthy on poor soil were from three to four feet high, and measured sixteen feet in circumference; and, of course, it being a very leafy plant, the weight was not so much. They weighed from 15 lbs. to 20 lbs. each. The seed was drilled half a lb. per acre during April, in rows 45 inches apart—the plants thinned to about two feet apart in the rows. The crop was ready for feeding the beginning of November. Now, as soon as the heads are cut off in November, the plants begin to sprout, and give you a splendid second crop just in the middle of summer. They may be fed off by sheep or pulled by hand, and should we be fortunate enough to get a little rain, we can get a very good third crop in the end of summer. I believe, but I have not tried it, that the plant would last three or four years. I think I may say confidently, from actual experience, that it is the most valuable green crop under our conditions that we can grow, and it is especially valuable for sheep. Next to that the large drumhead cattle cabbage is also noticeable for the weight of green food per acre that can be grown. Its habit of growth resembles the common cabbage, therefore it is not so well adapted for feeding off by sheep as the thousand-headed kale. Other fodder crops that have been grown hero without irrigation, and would, if properly sown at the right season, do well in Victoria, I have picked out from 100 in my first, report to the South Australian Government in 1882. I have marked those plants that I can most confidently recommend—the Melilotus leucantha, Bokhara clover, is a plant that does best with us in the summer time. It grows during the summer, and keeps green. I have tried it with sheep. There is a popular objection to it, but that chiefly arises from allowing it to grow too rank. If it is properly used I do not not know a plant for feed that will stand during summer and give as good a crop. It must come first. John D. Custance Esq. 13 April 1886.
1587. Is this the perennial red clover?—No, it is a different order. Melilotus leucantha, Bokhara clover; Medicago sativa, lucerne; Trifolium hybridum, alsike clover; Medicago lupuliua, yellow trefoil; Trifolium incarnatum, crimson clover; Onobaryehis sativa, saintfoin; Vicia sativa, vetch; Dactylis glomerata, cocksfoot; Achillea millefolium, yarrow; Plantago lanceolata, plantain; Lupinus angustifoiius, lupin; Sinapisalba, mustard; Brassica napus, rape. I do not menu to say, by giving this list, that nono of the others would do, but those are the plants that I can confidently, after four years' experiments under the conditions I have mentioned, recommend as being really useful to farmers. There page 72

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

is nothing theoretical, nothing scientific about it at all. They are simply and really that every practical fanner ought to grow. There are, of course other crops that, may bo grown, either for the grain or for folder; sorghum, for instance, grows with us most luxuriantly during summer. It has done this summer with hardly any rain at all. We have cut it three or four times, and found it most valualde.
1588. And without artificial watering?—None of my remarks have anything at all to do with any water, and the experiments were made upon poor sandy -soil. Sorghum, if if only obtains a fair start before the dry weather sets in, will yield an abundance of hutrious green food during the middle and end of summer. The seed also is available for feeding stock, and the canes can be utilized for the manufacture of syrup, but I do not think for sugar. I tried a very large breadth in Japan, but there is a difficulty in the crystallization of the sugar. I do not at all recommend sorghum For sugar, hut for syrup I can recommend it. The great advantage of sorghum, 1 think, is this, at least this season we had it so with us, that just at the time when you are put to the greatest pinch for green food for cows, by chatting the sorghum with the straw we can improve very much the quality of the milk, and, consequently, the butter and cheese we make from it, and it enables us to utilize our straw, which is a very important point indeed, I think. Millet has suc-ceeded well, both for fodder and seed. Maize makes a valuable green fodder chaffed with hay or straw. The varieties known us Cobbett's corn and sugar corn do best here (that is, at Roseworthy) for the purpose of obtaining grain, which is useful for feeding poultry, pigs, and, when crushed, as food for horses. Bengal gram, dhoura, and other similar plants would probably prove useful in some localities. I do not think it is necessary for me to go into details about some of those plants because they have been mentioned to you before. With regard to another series of plants, what I may term oil-producing plants, from a practical farmers' point of view, I should put flax first. This crop may he grown for the sake of the straw for paper manufacture, also the seed being utilized for oil and oil-cake, or the seed may be boiled, mixed with chaff, for feeding purposes. The growth of flax for both seed and straw would probably prove remunerative to farmers, provided a market could be found for the straw as material for the manufacture of paper. The manager of the Ely paper works near Cardiff has tried flax for the manufacture of paper with satisfactory results. The price he paid for the straw direct from the threshing machine was £4 10s. per ten. The following extract from the journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, vol. 18, 1882, may he quoted as supporting the idea that the establishment of a paper manufactory would be advantageous:-"The Ely paper works make one class of paper only, newspaper, of which they turn out 75 tons weekly. To effect this, about 3,000 tons of esparto grass is used annually, at a cost of from £5 to £7 per ton, and 2,000 tons of straw and other materials. If I have shown that flax can be grown at a profit of £4 10s. per ton for the straw, and 8s., or even 7s., per bushel for the seed, the British farmer will still want security page 73 that he will obtain a market for his produce before going

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

into the business. Facts speak louder than words, and the announcement by Mr. Reed, manager of the Ely paper works that he would be prepared to take 1,000 tons of flax-straw at £4 10s. per ton during the ensuing season should be pretty conclusive evidence that he finds if an economical substitute fur esparto grass."
1589. Was that at Adelaide?—No, in England. I merely quote it to show that flax straw may be, and absolutely is, used For the manufacture of paper. The value of the imports of esparto grass into England in 1881 was (192,328 tons) £l,275,707. I merely wish to make it quite clear to farmers. I do not know how it is here, but with us flax, grows luxuriantly, and the only reason it is not cultivated is because there is no market for the straw. It is no trouble to any farmer; it grows with very little trouble. A ton and a half per acre may be obtained very easily. The seed may be used in feeding, and if £6 can be got for a ton and a half of flax, it pays very well. Another plant I would mention is the sunflower. This plant is one that can be easily grown, In suitable localities the yield of soed would be from 40 to 50 bushels per acre; the yield of oil may be estimated at a gallon per bushel. The seed, besides yielding oil, is useful for feeding poultry, pigs, sheep. &c. The stalk also contains a very fine libre, used by the Chinese for mixing with silk fabrics. The Russians manufacture from the stalks potash, from the seeds oil and oil-cake, used for feeding purposes. The flowers produce very fine honey as well. In the town of Saratov there are a number of oil presses for the extraction of oil from sunflower seed. The ground nuts (Arachis hypogæa), besides producing about half their weight of oil, the seeds may be used as food, the plant also being a good fodder plant. I have tried it at Rose-worthy. It is mentioned in the list I have put in. The ground nut is cultivated in India, United States, Brazil, and Africa. The cake remaining after the oil is expressed from the seeds may be used for feeding horses, cattle, and pigs. Under this list of oil plants I cannot omit the castor oil plant (Ricinus communis), because it grows so luxuriantly with us. I obtained the seeds from the Aladras Government, and experimented with them. Two kinds of castor seeds are chiefly grown, known as large and small. Seeds of these two kinds received from India, where the plant is extensively grown, have been experimented with at the Roseworthy farm. The small castor seeds yield the largest quantity of oil. Official returns state that 24,145 acreds grown in the state of Kansas yielded 301,380 bushels of seed. And another (til plant we have tried is sesame (Sesamum indicum). Three varieties of sesame seed are cultivated in India—the white, red. and black. The white variety yields the finest oil. It is a quick growing plant, attaining maturity in about four months. Sesame oil is largely manufactured at Marseilles. The commercial value of the seed in England is about £2 10s. per quarter. Another class of plants that I think we could grow, but I have not had time to work them out, is plants for distillation. Several of them grow most luxuriantly in the driest districts (I speak, of course, for South Australia). Rosemary page 74

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

(Rosmarinus officinalis) grows most luxuriantly, and yieds by distillation a strong essential oil, used in the manufacture of eau-de-eologne and other perfumes. A few acres of it, when once planted, the cultivation is most simple. The shoots are simply stuck in the ground, and it is one of the hardiest plants we have tried. Lavender is another one. The flowers and leaves of this plant are aromatic, yielding the oil of lavender so much used as a perfume. It is easily grown, very hardy, flourishing best on what might be termed sandy loam; and there are many native shrubs and plants which might be grown by farmers for the purpose of supplying scent manufacturers with the material for distillation. Then with regard to irrigation. None of those crops that I have mentioned have been irrigated, they have been grown under ordinary farming condition?, and they have been recommended to the fanners of South Australia because we have been successful with them under the same conditions as the practical farmer has. I do not wish it to be inferred for a moment, because there are some plants in the list that I have not mentioned that they will not do. I merely mention those plants that I may confidently mention as being those that the farmer may profitably cultivate. With regard to irrigation, I think it is hardly necessary I should make any statement, because the effects of irrigation are certain if properly applied. I have seen the effects of irrigation in the east, and there can-not be the slightest doubt of the beneficial effects to be derived from irrigation if it is only properly carried out, and the right plants grow under irrigation. There are a number of miscellaneous crops that I feel sure can be successfully grown by farmers. To give you unexampled the present time brown mustard seed is worth 10s. a bushel in Adelaide. A farmer can sell any quantity of it, and mustard is a plant that would grow very easily. There are many plants, most of them mentioned, I think, in this list, that the farmer I am sure could profitably grow. Those experiments have been continued from the commencement at the Roseworthy farm, and although the full result is not given here, as it is only an annual report; the third report is for 1384, and in that the details are given, and here is last year's report, which contains fall information with regard to the result of last year's experiments, the farm, crops, and also full particulars in regard to what I may term the Department of Agriculture; the things are not separated with us the whole thing is worked as one.

1590. You put in those four reports?—Yes. I also brought downs's photograph of the college. That is what we term our head quarters in South Australia. The form surrounds it, and all matters in the colour affecting agriculture and the farmers come to that institution.

1591. You spoke of a steam cultivator: do you use steam for cultion valing?—We have tried it as an experiment. We have not the tackle belonging to the farm.

1592. Is steam cultivation adopted at all in South Australia? would be only in exceptional cases. It is not generally adopted.

1593. Is the thousand-headed kale that you spoke of like the cabbage—a coarse sort of cabbage?—It belongs to the same order. The leaves have some resemblance, but it grows in one mass of leaf.

page 75
1594. Is it not affected by the aphis, the same as the

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

other cabbage?—I have not found it affected.

1595. Are the other plants of the brassica tribe at all affected by the aphis?—In some seasons, very much indeed.

1596. And this is not?—I would not for a moment suggest that this is exempt. You see it is a fresh plant. No doubt it will be affected in time as it gets more generally cultivated.

1597. How many years have you tried it?—Two years at Rosewortby.

1598. And it produces a large weight of green fodder?—Yes. We sold half an acre for £18 the first year.

1599. Can the seed be purchased in South Australia?—I imagine so. We obtain our seed direct from England.

1600. You do not grow the seed?—We do not. I do not think it would be advisable.

1601. Does not it run to seed here well?—A few plants do. Out of an acre, you see one here and there running' to seed.

1602. Could not it be propagated from the little shoots; would not they grow?—No.

1603. Will largo cattle or sheep eat it?—They are very fond of it; horses, cows, sheep, and pigs too.

1604. The thousand-headed kale it is called?—Yes.

1605. Have you tried any experiments with Indian gram?—We have tried small pieces and it has done very well indeed. I have not tried it upon an extensive scale. I spoke favorably of it in the reports handed in.

l606. Have you any idea of the amount of seed it would yield per acre?—At Rosewortby, I should estimate the yield at 25 bushels.

1607. A larger yield, or as large a yield us peas?—It seems to do better than peas with us.

1608. Peas are not very extensively grown with you, are they?—They are not.

1609. Is it too dry for them?—Yes, it is too dry for them.

1610. You spoke of the straw of flax for paper; would not it be better to turn it to a better use for fibre?—We have tried it at Lindorf, but it did not turn out successful at all. There was some difficulty about it.

1611. Have you any idea of the acreage of flax that is grown in South Australia?—There is very little grown as far as I am aware, very little indeed.

1612. Has not the Government offered premiums in the past for the production of plants?—For the libre, I believe so.

1613. Has that ever been produced; has the premium ever been claimed?—I believe not.

1614. Or the sunflower; has a premium generally been offered for those novel things?—I am not aware that any premium has been offered for sunflower. I do not think so.

1615. The almond grows very well in South Australia?—It grows excellently at Rosewortby and many parts.

page 76

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

1616. How many years is it before the tree bears with you?—It would come into fu11 bearing you mean from the time of planting?

1617. Yes, from the time you plant out I suppose a young tree or would you sow the seeds?—We plant out yearling trees generally Before you get payable crop it would be live or six years, I imagine.

1618. Do you know the production of almonds, the quantity produced in South Australia?—I do not.

1619. Has mustard seed been grown by the farmers there?—They attempted it. A number of farmers tried to grow it last season, but the season was so very dry that they were not yery successful. We grow it successfully upon the farm.

1620. You fourni the mangold to be an excellent crop to precedes wheat crop?—Yes.

1621. Does it grow large in this dry area?—We grow mangolds up to 45 lbs. weight each.

1622. But in ordinary cultivation?—Under ordinary cultivation.

1623. But under ordinary cultivation—say a field of 50 or 1O0 acres, you could not expect to grow mongolds of that size?—Twenty tous to the acre I should expect.

1624. But you would hardly expect that weight in an arid district, would you?—I consider Roseworthy to he a very arid district, and we have grown them each year to that weight there. We get good crops. Then we deep cultivate the land and we manured them.

1625. And you sowed them pretty early?—Sowed them the first week in August.

1626. Have you tried pulping the mangolds and mixing the pulp with chaff to preserve it, as you recommend?—Unfortunately this season has been so dry that we were not able to preserve it. We pulped and used it with straw chaff.

1627. The mangolds would have to be taken from the ground and given to the cattle in that state, as it was. You could not turn sheep upon them in that state, could you?—We have sown a few acres in the wheat paddock, and then after" the paddock has been stripped mid the straw taken away, we have hurdled off the mangolds and let them eat a small piece every two days when they were upon the stubble, and the; ate them clean out of the ground and did not leave the smallest spot.

1628. Have you cultivated the sugar beet?—Yes, all the varieties we could get. I have a list of them in that report.

1629. Have you ever tried to make sugar from the roots?—We have not.

1630. Nor even an experiment upon a few roots?—We have not 1631. Have you any knowledge upon the subject?—No practical knowledge.

1632. Do the farmers cultivate mangolds in large areas, or only acre or two or three?—The mangold is not generally cultivated—only a farmer here and there does it.

1633. Are there no instances where a man has cultivated a paddoek, say, of 50 or 100 acres to precede wheat?—I believe there are one or page 77 two farms near town where the soil and climate are better.

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

They may have been grown extensively, but that is an exceptional case. I was speaking, of course, of farmers generally in the drier districts.

1634. Do they combine grazing with agriculture a good deal in South Australia?—Numbers of fanners do, but I would hardly like to say it is done generally. It is done in certain localities.

1635. Do you think that, having observed at your experimental farm the success of those plants that you have spoken of—this kale and some others—the formers will be likely to go in for cultivating?—I believe they are doing it, from numerous inquiries that I have respecting those plants from fanners.

1636. Is it. not a surprising filing that flax is not more generally grown than it is?—There is no market for the produce.

1637. There would be a market for the seed, would there not?—I think not at present.

1638. For linseed?—I do not know that there is a market for linseed in South Australia.

1639. Yes, or in this colony; it could be easily sent here, or even at home. You export wheat, and flax seed would be largely imported into England from India and other places?—Yes.

1640. Would it not pay a farmer to grow flax better than wheat, even for export. Do you know the quantity of seed that can be produced to an acre from flax?—Of course it depends a great deal Upon the soil and situation. As to the yield of flax, I imagine we should be able to produce three or four quarters.

1641. About 32 bushels. That would have a very much larger com-merciai value than wheat even for export, would it not?—I do not know the present price of linseed in London. Of course the market in London is fluctuating, and it must depend upon that as to whether it would pay or not.

1642. What manure do you chiefly use?—We use all the farm-yard manure that we can get, and we have not used any manure upon the business portion of the farm. The manures we have used have been simply for experimental purposes. We have used all the manures that we could obtain, a list of which you have in each report.

l643. Some of those are imported and some manufactured?—Yes.

1644. Do you think the fact that farmers generally do not go iu for those outside manufactures is their want of knowledge of the way to produce the crop?—I think if they saw a thing would pay them they would at once go in for it.

1645. If they could ensure getting a much larger crop of wheat by either fallowing the land, or by growing those green crops, is it not extraordinary that they do not adopt that course?—Many of them do not believe that they would obtain a larger yield of wheat.

1646. The experiments that you have conducted, then, and that have been chiefly successful are those to which you have referred, the introduction of this kale and the rotation of crops?—I have only referred to one series of experiments, and that is with regard to what we term page 78

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

new plants or new crops. We have a large number of experiments. We have experiments with regard to varieties of wheat, oats, barley, with regard to manures, and many other things.

1647. Particularly with regard to new crops, or to the introduction of crops that are not generally grown?—I have referred to that one series only, known as series "A." plants which were commenced and con-tinucd ever since.

1648. Have you made any experiments, or have you any experience in vine-growing?—No.

1649. Wine is largely produced in South Australia?—Very largely.

1650. Arc the vignerons successful?—I believe so.

1651. Is the area under vines increasing annually or diminishing?—I cannot, remember the figures with regard to the actual area, but I do not think there are as many acres under cultivation now as formerly.

1652. What I mean is, do you see new vineyards being planted generally?—I have not noticed any. Of course occasionally here and there I have, but not to increase the area under cultivation. That is my impression.

1653. The producers of wheat are not in a very flourishing state just now, I think?—I am sorry to say they are not.

1654. Is it not surprising that they do not launch out into some of the other sources of production?—You see to do that, of course, they require the knowledge and the inducement to enter into it and the capital, and then they want cheaper labour.

1655. I have you any orchard attached to the experimental farm?—We are about planting one. We have commenced planting a vineyard. There is a small garden attached to the farm. We tried apricot trees and almond trees, and they do very well indeed, and there is a small piece of grape vines.

1656. llave you had any experience in growing fruits to test their commercial value?—Not a large experience. We have dried a few muscatel raisins for home consumption.

1657. Produced upon the farm?—Produced upon the farm.

1658. With satisfactory results?—As far as the flavour was concerned, most satisfactory, but the appearance is not quite up to the manufacture article.

1659. Do any of the farmers in your country go in very largely for poultry—make a specialty of it?—In an exceptional case or two they do; very seldom do you come across a farm that keeps a lot poultry; the majority of them do not.

1660. Do they hatch by the ordinary process or do they use the in-cubator?—The incubator is used on several farms that 1 know of but it is not generally used.

1661. But upon any farms, do the farmers devote themselves almost exclusively to poultry?—I think not.

1662. What is the rainfall at Roseworthy?—Last year?

1663. I want the average more for a series of years, if you have it?—For the last year it was 13 inches.

page 79
1664. You said that was an exceptional year, I think,

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

a had year; what is the average?—About 16 inches would be the' average.

1665. And what is the soil there—in it good soil?—I have put in a full report of the soil; it varies very much indeed. We have a very poor sandy soil; then we have a calcareous loam, shallow, only a few inches; then wo have a little stiffer loam; and then we get on to a deep stiff clay. That is upon a farm of 800 aeres.

1666. You have a great variety of soils?—We have a great variety of soils.

1667. Have you made experiments in grasses?—I have experimented with all the grasses that I could obtain from anywhere.

1668. Have you come to a decision as to which of the grasses are best to use in the climate and soil of Roseworthy?—Of course I cannot carry the full particulars in my head with regard to so many experiments, but all the results are briefly announced in the four reports, and the names of the grasses given, and the different purposes, such as for permaneut pasturo and sheep feed. Several plants are pre-eminently adapted for sheep feed, and keep green all the summer.

1660. Are the details all given in the reports?—The practical part is in those reports: they do not give all the details.

1670. Do you strip your wheat?—Yes.

1671. Do you recommend that?—I am obliged to do it, because I have not any means of threshing it. I would not if I had a threshing machine, because we have to cut all the straw afterwards; we cut it into chaff and feed all the horses upon it.

1672. That is the straw, after it is stripped?—Directly after we have stripped a paddock we put the mowing machines into the paddock and cut it and put it into a stack, and then cut it up.

1673. You utilize the straw after the stripping?—Yes, I adopt that method because it is not in my power to do it any other way, not because it is the best method.

1674. Have you introduced the early wheat, the one coming to maturity earlier than the ordinary wheat, in December?—We have two or three early wheats, I may say; two that are very much earlier than any that we have tried, and we have tried all the varieties of wheat that we could obtain. There are 35 in 1884 that we tried, and the earliest was what is known as Lidian wheat—a wheat that is obtained from India.

1675. A red wheat?—A white wheat. I sowed 20 lbs. of that wheat on the 23rd of June. It arrived at maturity in November. The Indian wheat we harvested on December 5th—weeks before the others—and it. yielded 24 bushels per acre. Last year I experimented with another variety—what is known as the early baart wheat. I sowed 21 lbs. of it only on an acre, and obtained 16½ bushels; a very early wheat, too. The adjoining paddock was almost destroyed by disease. This was old land, and the adjoining paddock was the second crop.

1676. Have you tried that early wheal which was grown in Southern Africa?—Yes.

page 80

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

1677. Willi what result?—That is what I just referred to. It is on page 19 of the report for 1885.

1678. Was it a success?—Perfectly successful.

1679. When did it mature?—It was harvested on November 20th it was sown ou May the 19th, much earlier than the purple straw, which was the one generally grown, and this was harvested with a stripper which makes a considerable difference, and they might have reaped it ten days before that.

1680. And is it a good milling sample?—I believe so. I have not had sufficient quantity to send to a mill, because I had to sell all I could sell at 10s. a bushel; there was such a demand for it.

1681. You then had a good quantity of it?—Only 16½ bushels. I only had one acre, and only sowed 21 lbs. altogether.

1682. You cultivate South African wheat?—And the proper name is the early heart wheat.

1683. We had a gentleman from South Africa here who spoke very highly of it indeed?—Yes, he went over this, and was surprised to see it. All that we grew we saved the seed.

1684. And you can recommend it with confidence for your climates—Yes; that and the Indian wheat, I think, are the two earliest; but we have two inore this year. There are four wheats that I am very much pleased with, and I expect to do something with them. The third is the soft white wheat; I have not had time to name it. We get time small samples of wheat, and then we pay attention to them and raise them. Ward's prolific is a very good wheat too.

1685. Is it an early wheat—Yes. Ou page 19 I give the four wheats that so far have been, 1 think, the most promising for what is really required, and it would be a very valuable thing include if an early variety, and a Strong variety and new, could be grown by farmers.

1686. That is the one point, because then they begin to ripen atibe time when now we get destruction; when they bloom they get the but winds?—Yes; I have been trying to effect this, but it takes time to effect a thing of this sort.

1687. As to the kail, how do you feed that?—We feed it in different ways. If we are short of food for the pigs, we pull it and take it to the pigs in the styes, cows the same.

1688. And what weight per acre do you get from it?—The weight per acre would be about 18 or 20 tons, the first crop—a fair crop would come to that. Then you see the beauty of the thing is that you get a good second crop that grows during all summer. What it would do with irrigation would be simply enormous; it is such a suitable palnt for irrigation. There is not much fear of inexperienced people going wrong in irrigating kail and drumhead cattle cabbage, but they would be in danger of that with other plants.

1689. Have yon in your mind any plants that stand ont prominently as suitable plants for irrigation?—Thai would vary upon what you want the plants for; but for ordinary farm purposes, those plants that I mentioned, with the addition of Italian rye-grass. Itlalian rye-grass, I think, is the heaviest cropper with plenty of irrigation. Lucerne is page 81 very good; kale, mangolds, Swede turnips, and plants of

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

that description are the best, that you get the greatest weight per acre from, and they do not want so much skill as wheat, And fruit trees, and vines, and things of that description. When I say skill, I mean there is not the danger of making a mistake in the quantity of water and time of application, and the mode of application is different with crops grown in rows. You plough a furrow between the rows and give them it thorough good soaking; you would not injure the plant by letting the water run round the stems.

1690. Are your reports obtainable?—Yes.

1691. Are they sold by your Government or distributed?—Distributed gratuitously for the benefit of the farmers. I have only one of each with me that I brought to put in. but I have. I think, one or two copies in my portmanteau at the hotel. I am quite sure the Commissioner will be very phased to send yon a dozen copies, and I should be Also very glad to answer any further questions in writing that you may be pleased to send to me.

1692. Have you got complete sets of your reports?—I have not. They have been so much asked for I had a difficulty in getting one for you; but I should think it would be worth while to have them reprinted in book form, and a summary of them; that would be the best plan.

1693. You spoke of deep cultivation carried out on your farm; is that merely for experiment, or is it that you find it profitable to do so?—I find it protiable to do so. I could not grow the crops that I have done unless for the previous deep cultivation of the land.

1694. Have you found out by accounts that it pays to cultivate that way?—Yes, certainly: and so have some of my neighbours—practical farmers.

1695. And you would advise generally that wheat ground, or ground that has been worked out by deep cultivation, should be renovated by a rotation of crops and the root crops or kail crops which you spoke of would be a very good way to renovate the land, and also bring it back to its usual strength, if not to improve it; what I mean is, has your deep cultivation been on worn-out land or new laud?—On worn-out land. By deep cultivation, I do not mean deep ploughing; I mean the use of a cultivator or implement with tines only.

1606. You do not bring the subsoil to the surface?—No.

1697. You do not recommend that?—No.

1698. I suppose your soil is a tolerably good depth; how deep is it?—It varies very much upon the farm. Part of the farm we have only four or live inches of soil, and then it is on limestone, and then on another part of the turra eighteen or twenty inches of good soil.

1699. Part of this colony is very shallow; your system would be the best system for heavy clay land?—The best tiling possible for it I should say.

1700. In the management of your farm—I should like to know how it is managed, whether you or any other gentleman is the head of the department—do you carry out the whole of the instructions of the farm, page 82

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

or is there a farm manager appointed to work under your instructions?—I have the entire management of the Agricultral College, and what we term our Department Agriculture, and the other commission that I hold is the Government Professor of Agriculture, which includes other duties. I have assistants, a farm manager and an assistant teacher, I engage them and I can dismiss them. They are under me, and the sole management of the institution and the work is in my hands, with the excetion, of course, of the financial portion. The annual vote for that is made by Parliament, and anything of any importance must receive the sanction of the Commissioner.

1701. What I mean is this—if you wish to have any experiment carried out you simply give the farm manager an instruction how you wish to have it done?—Most of these experiments I have conducted myself. I have not been able to do so the last six months, but previous to this I drilled those things and attended to them myself.

1702. Have you many pupils?—Twenty-eight; the college is full.

1708. You are not able to attend to the whole of this business your-self; do you look after the pupils and experiment upon the farm as well?—I have a farm manager, a competent man of my own appointor, who can carry out my orders, and I have an assistant in the collage, and we have visiting lecturers; but I have to work every day from half-past six in the morning to ten at night.

1704. Are you a chemist?—I am an agricultural chemist.

1705. In reference to the grass production from the northern portion of the colony, what grasses keep green any long period of the season; you have not touched upon that, but I believe it is given in you report, you say?—I was afraid, of course, to go into details, for if I allowed myself to go into details we should he here two or three hours more. Of course I alluded only to the skeleton of the affair.

1706. Do you cultivate Italian rye-grass?—We have grown it experimentally, hut we have not any water, and it wants water to grow it profitably with us.

1707. I believe you cultivate the citron tribe rather extensively? Personally not, but it is grown in the neighbourhood.

1708. Do they export from Adelaide to any extent?—I am almost afraid to say "yes" or "no" to that, but I do not think they do.

1709. I want to get at this—is that a production that you would recommend the Commission to iuquire about as far as collecting evident goes?—They grow very successfully. There is an orangery within a few miles of us, just on the other side of the ostrich farm.

1710. You say the rainfall was 13 inches?—That is hurt year. The average would be 16.

1711. I suppose the orange cannot be grown without irrigation?-The place I refer to is irrigated. I have tried a few trees in my garden, but they will not do without irrigation.

1712. Mr. Guilfoyle.—Can you tell me the value of the sunflower oil in the market. Is it as valuable as olive oil in Adelaide—I do not know, I do not think there is a quotation for it. I do not remember seeing one.

page 83
1713. You say 40 bushels to the acre, and a gallon to

John D. Custance, Esq., continued, 13th April 1886.

each bushel?—Yes, roughly.

1714. Even at 6s. a gallon that would be very profitable?—Very profitable. I may say that I shall be very glad to supplement my necessarily very brief information given to-day by written answers to questions if you think fit to submit them to me.

The Witness withdrew.

Adjourned to to-morrow at half-past Two.