Vjl. XXXI. Part 10. OCTOBER 2. 1920. 



Agrieultural Gazeite of New South Wales, 



Agriculture at Nyngan* 



H. J. KELLY, Manager, Cowra Experiment Farm. 



UBRAm 



It is generally accepted that Nyngan is beyond the " safe wheat belt." In 

 fact, the western edge of the area within which wheat-growing is profitable is 

 some 50 miles eastward. For many years past, however, settlers beyond the 

 " safe " line have turned their attention to the growth of wheat crops — princi- 

 pally for hay, and in very many instances splendid yields have been obtained. 



But the westerner knows that as sure as night follows day lean 

 years follow good ones. Drought is the spectre most dreaded, and when it 

 does appear in gauntest form, crops fail just as do the natural pastures. The 

 uncertainty of the rainfall makes the growth of crops a hazardous under- 

 taking, and it is considered by many too risky to enter upon. To endeavour 

 to solve many of the problems which confront the dwellers of the far west, 

 and to try to minimise, if not y holly prevent, the severe losses which 

 occur when King Drought stalks the land, the Department of Agriculture 

 started an experiment farm on the west Bogan scrub lands, 17 miles 

 north-east of Coolabah railway station, in the year 1898. There the usual 

 pioneering difhculties were encountered, failures experienced, successes 

 achieved, and many valuable lessons learned. 



Numerous experiment.? were carefully planned and conducted for the 

 purpose of ascertaining the most suitable varieties of wheat for the district, 

 the best cultural methods to adopt for the conservation of moisture, whether 

 fertilisers were necessary, and if so in what quantities, what quantities of 

 seed should be sown per acre, the best rotation to adopt, and many othei* 

 things relative to the profitable growth of crops. 



Owing to the inaccessibility of the farm to the general public and depart- 

 mental experts, the question of transferring the work undertaken at 

 Coolabah to a more convenient and accessible site in similar country and 

 tinder similar conditions. was considered in 1908, and after careful discussion 

 ■of the claims of several places, the site of the present Nyngan Experiment 

 Farm was selected as being most suitable, on account of it being typical west 

 Bogan country, and representative of a very large area, which it was intended 

 the farm should serve. 



From the results achieved at Coolabah, it was now recognised by the 

 Department that in the west agx'iculture could only be successfully carried 

 on in conjunction with the pastoral industry. Out of twelve wheat crops 

 planted, eight had given satisfactory yields, three had grown sufficiently to make 

 some return for the outlay involved in their cultivation by grazing them with 

 sheep, and only one (that of 1902) had been an absolute failure. All this gave 

 ground for the belief that it would be profitable for graziers to cultivate a 

 portion of their holdings, if sound principles, which the Department had now 

 some confidence in laying down, were adhered to. 



* Formerly Manager, Nyngan Experiment Farm. 



