MAY 1966 Vol. 92, No. 5 Registered at the G .P .O . Brisbane for transmission by post as a newspaper . QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL "WIN, IVF 'b. QUEENSLAND DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES Director-General . J. M. Harvey Deputy Director-General . A. A. Ross Chief Advisory Officer (Administration) C. L. Harris Assistant Under Secretary . H. Barnes Officer in Charge, Information Services C. W. Winders Director of Plant Industry . L. G. Miles Director of Agriculture S. Marriott Director of Horticulture J. H. Smith Government Botanist S. L. Everist Government Entomologist . W. A . McDougall Government Plant Pathologist B . L. Oxenham Director, Agricultural Chemical Laboratory Branch W. J . Cartmill Director, Food Preservation Research S. A. Trout Director of Development Planning and Soil Conservation J. E. Ladewig Director of Animal Industry A. L. Clay Deputy Director of Animal Industry C. R. Mulhearn Director of Veterinary Services . L. G. Newton Cover picture : Colour variations of J. W. Ryley the flower of the coastal paperback Director of Veterinary Research (Melaleuca viridiflora) are common, (A.R.I.) as this red flower shows. Director of Biochemical Branch (A.R.I.) . C. W. R. McCray Director of Husbandry Research (A.R.I.) . J. G. Morris Director of Pathology (A.R.I.) . W. T. K. Hall Director of Sheep Husbandry . A. T. Bell Director of Cattle Husbandry . G. I. Alexander Director, Slaughtering and Meat Inspection Branch . B. Parkinson EDITOR : E. T. HOCKINGS Senior Pig Husbandry Officer . F. Bostock Chief Poultry Husbandry Officer . F. N. J. Milne Vol. 92 MAY, 1966 No. 5 Director of Dairying E. B. Rice Director of Dairy Research . V. R. Smythe Director of Field Services (Dairy) . W. D . Mitchell Subscription rates (payable to Director-General, Department of Director of Marketing D. P. Lapidge Primary Industries, Wi11i< m Street, Director of Economic Services E. O . -Burns Brisbane) : $1 a year to Queensland farmers, schools and students ; $4 a Standards Officer . A. C. Peel year to others. Page Sampling Soils And Waters For Analysis H. Hassler 257 The New Beef Breeds G. L. Alexander . 260 Research To Aid Northern Agriculture G. H. Allen 264 Raising Pigs For Profit A. C. E. Todd . 267 Nematodes And Their Effect On Plants R. C. Colbran 270 Treating Cattle Blight R. J. Higgins 274 International A414 . 277 Yapunyah-A Source Of Honey C. Roff . , , , 280 Production Trends . , , , , , 283 Knowing The Value Of Fodders K. J. Rowan . 284 Vegetable Planting Guide . , . , , , , , 292 Pygmy Geese In Australia H. J. Lavery . , 294 Infertility Means Financial Loss B. A. Woolcock 300 Q.A.J. Picture Puzzle . , 301 A Quick Quiz . , , , , 302 Quiz Answers . , . 303 Survey Proves Herd Recording Is Reliable S. E. Pegg . 304 Black Spear Grass Control In The Central West D. L. Purcell 306 Concrete Water Hopper For Dairy Engine M. A. T. Paterson 309 Country Home . , . 311 For Country Cooks . 314 Brucellosis-Tested Swine Herds . 316 Home Savings Grant Scheme . 317 Rheumatic Fever And Its Effects On The Heart . 318 Tuberculosis-Free Cattle Herds . 320 Sampling Soils And Waters For Analysis by H. Hassler, Senior Soil Technologist. Plate 1 : Soil sample divided into quarters for subsampling. Every year, an increasing number of soil and Plate 2: Opposite quarters are discarded to obtain the water samples are received for analysis by the subsample. Department's Agricultural Chemist. Many of these samples are taken by farmers themselves and it is the purpose of this article to emphasise the importance of accurate sampling and to, describe correct methods of taking samples. Soils Unless certain procedures are followed in col- lecting the samples, the analysis may have little or no value and could even be misleading, and could involve the farmer in unnecessary expense. It must be stressed that any analysis is only an analysis of the sample and not of the field, so the method of sampling is all important. The more representative the sample is of the field, the more representative the analysis is of the field. May, 19661 Queensland Agricultural Journal 257' 9 Before a soil sample is taken, it is advisable to A covering letter should be sent to the Director, consult the local advisory officer. In many cases, Agricultural Chemical Laboratory, Department of his local knowledge and his experience may enable Primary Industries, William Street, Brisbane, him to give the desired information without the giving the following information:- necessity for taking a soil sample and having it 1 . Name of farmer analysed. 2. Postal address. If there is no advisory officer who can be contacted easily, and the farmer wants to know 3 . Name of parish and portion number. the amount and type of fertilizer to use for the 4. Depth to subsoil. crop he intends growing, he should endeavour to 5 . Type of subsoil. ensure that the sample is as representative as possible. 6. Type of country-slope, flat, alluvial. If the type of soil changes markedly over the 7. If virgin land, type of vegetation . area to be cultivated, separate samples should be 8. If cultivated, usual crops and the next taken for each soil type. crop to be grown. The simplest way to sample is to dig a hole with 9. Yields-poor, average, good. a vertical side to the depth of cultivation or 10. Date, rate and type of fertilizer applied. 9-10 in ., whichever is the greater. 11 . Date and rate of agricultural limestone A slice of even thickness and width is cut or dolomite applied. from the vertical face. 12. Reasons for requesting analysis . A number of such samples should be taken for each soil type and these samples should be thoroughly mixed on a sheet of clean canvas or Waters plastic. The procedure for taking water samples is A sample of about 2 lb. weight is sufficient simpler as one sample only is required for each for analysis ; it will frequently be found that the source of water. A sample of about a pint is composite sample weighs much more than this. sufficient and the container should be washed out It must, therefore, be subsampled . This is done thoroughly with the water to be sampled before by quartering in the following manner : the sample is taken. If for stock, the sample The collected sample is broken up into small should be taken from the actual drinking point. clods (if necessary) about half an inch in A 26 oz. bottle such as a beer bottle is an excellent diameter, and thoroughly mixed. container. The pile of soil is then flattened and divided Each container should be clearly marked with the name at right angles through the centre (Plate 1) . and address of the sender and an identifying mark or number should be added if The soil in two opposite quarters is discarded more than one sample is sent. (Plate 2), and the remaining quarters again mixed. A covering letter should be forwarded, at the same time, to the same address as for soils, giving If the sample is still too big, the process should the following particulars of each sample :- be repeated till the sample remaining is about 21b. in weight. 1 . Name and address of sender. The final sample should be placed in a clean 2. Name of parish and portion number container (not a fertilizer bag) . Samples that of sampling site. have been air-dried before despatch to the labora- 3. Bore; depth (registered number, if any) . tory can be prepared for analysis more quickly Well : depth. than those which are damp. Care should be Dam : capacity, surface area. exercised to prevent contamination of the sample Watercourse : name. while it is drying. 4. Date of collection (state of tide when Each sample should be identified with the subject to tidal influence) . farmer's name and address, depth, and, when 5 . Whether required for irrigation or stock more than one sample is forwarded, a mark or (state crop or kind of stock), domestic number. use, human consumption. 25 8 Queensland Agricultural Journal [May, 1966 6. Any peculiar taste, odour or sediment . Samples should be packed in such a way as to 7. What effect the water has had, if used prevent breakages in transit, and should be for crops or stock. addressed correctly to ensure prompt delivery. They should be addressed as follows :- The water should be taken from the pump after it has been operating for some time, or from By rail: Agr. Chem. the bore-head. This is the actual source of water. Dept. Primary Industries, If stored in a tank or delivered to a trough, Roma Street . samples from both tank and trough should be forwarded. There have been cases in which Other : Agricultural Chemical Laboratory, a fairly good water has become so concentrated Dept. Primary Industries, in a trough, by evaporation, that animals have William Street, died of thirst rather than drink the water. BRISBANE. 1966 Show Dates The following show dates for 1966 have been Esk 24, 25; Home Hill 24, 25 ; Proserpine 24, 25; announced by the Queensland Chamber of Agri- Charters Towers 27-29 ; Bowen 28, 29; Nambour cultural Societies : June 30-July 2; Woodford to be allotted. MAY: Eidsvold 2, 3; St. George 2, 3 ; Roma 4-6 ; Barcaldine 5, 6; Theodore 5, 6; Goomeri 6, JULY: Ayr 1, 2; Townsville 4-7 ; Gatton 8, 9 ; 7; Marburg 6, 7; Mundubbera 6, 7 ; Longreach Ingham 8, 9 ; Caboolture 8, 9; Malanda 8, 9 ; 9-11 ; Gayndah 10, 11 ; Mitchell 11, 12; Ipswich Cleveland 8, 9 ; Atherton 11-13; Innisfail 14-16 ; 11-14 ; Biggenden 13, 14 ; Winton 13, 14; Baralaba Redcliffe 14-16 ; Rosewood 15, 16 ; Cairns 19-22 ; 13, 14; Kilkivan 14 ; Charleville 17-19; Spring- Texas 22, 23; Mt.