700 



Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 



[Oct. 2, 1920. 



At that period during tlie hot weather when tiie crop was making its 

 quickest and most vigorous growth, there was practically no difference 

 observable in the appearance of individual plots, with perhaps the exception 

 of plots 6 and 7, which showed only a slight increase in height and a slightly 

 darker colour than the others. 



Six cuts of hay were obtained. The following table illustrates the mone- 

 tary value of the increase in yield per acre of lucerne hay as the result of 

 top-dressing, the average price of lucerne hay being taken as £12 per ton, 

 superphosphate as £6 per ton landed at Yanco, and the cost of cultivation at 

 12s. 6d. per acre. This last figure is based on the time it actually took to 

 cultivate and top-dress a 6-acre paddock. The work was done in one day with 

 one man on a six-horse cultivator, and one man on three-horse drill. Men's 

 labour was reckoned at 13s. 6d. per day, horse labour at 5s. (a drought 

 estimate), and depreciation of machinery at 6d. per acre. 



Table showing Monetary Value of Increase in yield from Top-dressing, 



Methods of treatment in order 

 of merit. 



Yield per Increase 

 acre, based on per acre, 

 peruentag-e due to 



yield. 1 reatnient. 



Value of 

 increase 

 per acre. 



Cost of increase 

 per acre 



Net jrain 

 pur acre. 



2 cwt. superphosphate applied in 



the sprinjf. 

 *No cultivation and no manure . . 



1 cwt. superphosphate applied in 



the sprinjjf. 



2 cwt. superphosphate applied in 



the autumn. 

 1 cwt. superphosphate applied in 



the autumn. 

 Cultivated but not manured 



Superphosphate, l?s. 

 cultivation, 12s. 6d. 



Superphosphate, Cs. 



cultivation, 12s. 6d. 

 Superphosphate, 12s. 



cultivation, 12s. tid. 

 Superphosphate, (is 



cultivation, 12s. 6d. 



£ s d. 



7 5 5 



5 5 9 



4 13 8 



3 15 2 



17 2 



* An irregularity due to ditficulty in regulating the exact amount of vater applied to each 



plot evidently occurred here. 



From the foregoing table, when the results from light top- dressings are 

 compared with those obtain.^d on the unmanured and uncultivated plot, the 

 conclusion might be drawn that unless lucerne is heavily top-dressed (at 

 2 cwt. per acre) it is more profitable to leave top-dressing alone. Discarding 

 this plot, the yield from which is at variance with the general results, 

 cultivating and top-dressing lucerne with superphosphate has proved to be 

 quite a profitable practice. 



Standardisation in Agricultural Machinery. 



The importance of standardisition in agricultural machinery and implements 

 was urged by a number of witnesses who gave evidence before a de{)artniental 

 comniittet^ on agricultural machinery, ]\[inistry of Agriculture, London. 8ays 

 the Journal of the Ministry of Af/riculticre : — " It was agreed that a reduction 

 in the diversity of parts and their intorchangeability between implements of 

 the same type are much to be desired. The present bewildering variety of 

 ploughs, for example, produced by individual makers, all in turn differing 

 from those of other manufacturers, and with relatively few fittings common 

 to any of them, increases the difficulties of the users and must necpssarily 



add to the cost of production Ploughs and other implements 



of cultivation appear to afford considerable possibilities of standardisation." 



