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554 Agricultural Gazette of N .S.W . [Aug. 2, 1920. 



Summer Green Fodder Trials. 



MURRUMBIDGEE IRRIGATION ArEA. 1919-20. 



A. N. SHEPHERD, Assistant Inspector of Agriculture. 



Green fodder trials embracing both sorghums and maize were carried out 

 during the past season on the above area. The settlers co-operating with 

 the Department were — 



M. McKenzie, Farm 203. 



H. Booth, Farm 854. 



W. Evans, Farm 139. 



H. A. McDonald, Farm 151. 



W. Edwards, Farm 367. 



During the season the conditions were most trying, dust storms and 

 wind being very prevalent, resulting in high evaporation, while the rainfall 

 was practically nil, the falls that did occur being very light and of 

 practically no use to the growing crops. Notwithstanding the adverse con- 

 ditions, very good germination was obtained throughout the plots, the result 

 of the careful preparation of the soil and irrigation previous to sowing. 



Irrigation had to be constantly practised at each rotation throughout the 

 growth of the crop. The rainfall registrations were as follows : — November 

 39 points, December 142, January 57, February 0, March 97, April 47. 



In the sorghum trials, Saccaline was grown for the first time on the area, 

 and, Avhile giving heavy returns, took much longer than the other varieties 

 used in the trials to mature. 



To obtain a good germination in the hotter weatlicr, it is essential that 

 after drilling the land be rolled to compact the soil and encourage quick 

 germination before the moisture dries out under the very high evaporation 

 of the summer months. If a roller is not available ordinary tine harrows, 

 turned upside down and weighted, give even better results, for wliile a roller 

 compacts the surface, the harrow used in this way tends to pack tlic soil 

 under the surface and right on the seed, at the same time leaving on the 

 surface a layer of loose soil which tends to lessen evaporation. This practice 

 lias been adopted in autumn sowing with very satisfactory results. 



Farm 203. — TTie experiment was conducted on grey loam soil and in places 

 crab-holey. The previous crop had been barley, sown in autumn, 1919, and 

 grazed off with cattle. The land was irrigated previous to ploughing on 

 21st October, and was afterwards broken down with the diac-harrow. The 

 land was again irrigated on 7th November and cultivated with the rigid 

 tooth cultivator. The seed was sown on 15th jSTovember, 1919, with a 



