PORT ALBERT AGRICULTURAL UNION

Albertland Gazette, Issue 9, 3 February 1864, Page 4

PORT ALBERT AGRICULTURAL UNION

■ :■„ The second meeting of memberswas held Mr. Shepherd's ■.'farm, on Jan. 20. Most of; •those present oni theformer occasion attended, and from the iiiterest k evinced by them, we' -believe that the society will succeed and do much good in the settlement. V ■ After tea, the chair was taken by Mr. Pettet ■and the minutes were read and confirmed. The intended Exhibition on March-market day was considered, and various details de\cided upon; the further carrying out of the •arrangements are entrusted to. Messrs. Judd, Chapman and Marcroft as. a committee with "power to add to their number. The Show is to be held in Market-sfreet opposite and contiguous to Mr. Cottle's house. Intending exhibitors are requested to give - notice to'the Secretary of their intentions prior to Feb. 22. ' ; All descriptions of livestock, fruit, flowers andgvegetables will,ube admissible, arid from present appearances we augur favorably, and believe it will be an unusually interesting occasion. Tho judges will be chosen on the day by the exhibitors. v ' '■ . . Mr. R. T. Jones was admitted a member. The further proceedings were of a conversational character, and pur limits will not allow more than a few jottings on the subject of Crops. Mr Chapman found potatoes, onions and turnips to flourish best in a fine black soil, formerly flax, ti-tree, and koromikau, especially where sheltered from the wind. Mr. Marcroft had good potatoes on a strong clay land, but they had done best on a black shaly[soil; peas had been very prolific on the same^but tiie reverse on the heavier kind, he believed that drainage was thefgreat desideratum for sweetening and tempering the soil. Strawberries do not succeed on the black soil. A mixture of strong and light soils was best for turnips. Mr Legge found wheat|did best on a irongrey clay land; their wheat had been on too low and damp situation : his onions had succeeded well on a black, heavy soil, having a substratum of limestone. Mr Jones believed apple-blight might be cured by putting a mixture of salt and sulphur into the earth round the stem of the tree. He alsogsuggested that a premium should be offered for hawks' heads, and a member offered to give Is. each for any shot within three miles of his place. Mr Collinge believed the best thing to raise was grass seed on the clay soil, his had yielded at the rate of 16 bushels per acre. Mr. Pettet had some tares, 5 feet high, and thought they would do well here generally. They were pronounced as profitable and good for cattle.