^|;r// 2, 1908.] ylgrlcuUural Gazette of N.S.W. 2t)5 



properly made, ;ire more effectual. In many cases wher • troul^le has occurred 

 with alkaline salts in the soil or water, it has been due to a neglect of this 

 important factor. With underground drainage, a heavy fall of rain tends to 

 leach out the excess of salts ; whereas on undrained, flat, clay lands the 

 excess moisture has to escape by evaporation, and the secretion of surface 

 salts is, therefore, increased. 



On an irrigation area, heavy manuring, or correct rotation of crops, is neces- 

 sary. If an irrigated acre of land produces 20 tons of greenstufFevery year, it 

 is evident that it must become exhausted sooner than land that occasionally 

 misses a crop owing to drouglit. Most agri'ul'ural rctiiiiis are more or less 



inigaled Sorghum. 



affected by the rainfall, but whilst rain is often a remote probability, system- 

 atic irrigation is an absolute certainty. Several profitable crops of straw- 

 berries and cauliflowers could have been obtained, and many a milk cheque 

 increased, by the practice of these methods during the past few months. A 

 dressing of lime, in conjunction with di-ainage and watering, will convert 

 many a sour swamp into a luxuriant fodder patch, and if the feed is not 

 required immediately when grown, it can be easily converted into ensilage. 



The application of water by the furrow system followed by frequent 

 cultivation, with provision for drainage and rotation of crops, are the neces- 

 sary principles of "wet farming," which must be practised by all farmers on 

 ..any large or small irrigation scheme to obtain profitable and permanent results. 



