AGRldLTCKAI. I-IDL'CATION IX Al'STRALlA. 221) 



benefit of their researches. The agricuhural districts are covered 

 by a network of experiments on private farms, superintended by 

 district inspectors. 



Other N.S.W. Institutions. 



Alkision was made above to the 15 different experiment 

 farms, other than Hawkesbury, which the New South Wales 

 Department possesses. Two of these are, hke Hawkesbury, 

 teachino^ institutions, but locally specialised. They are Bathurst 

 and Wag-ga-W'agga. Their main objects are to demonstrate 

 the most economic and effective systems of producing and 

 harvesting crops, and of determining the suitability of crops for 

 the areas represented by these two farms. They also devote 

 themsehes to studying the improvement of cereals, and the pro- 

 duction of highest-quality seed-wheat. 



Wagga-Wagga, which comprises 3,300 acres, whereof i,203 

 are used for mixed farming. 100 for fruit-culture, and the 

 balance for grazing, can accommodate 60 resident students. 

 Bathurst, which is 145 miles west of Sydney, accommodates 34 

 for a two-year course, and utilises its whole area of 610 acres 

 for cropping and grazinu' ; in addition to which it rejoices in the 

 possession of an irrigation plant in full work, for 16 acres of 

 the farm-lands lie on the rich alluvial deposits of the Macquarie 

 River, from which the water is pumped by a Blake pump of a 

 capacity of 14,000 gallons per hour. Both flooding and furrow 

 systems of irrigation are practised; the former for lucerne, the 

 latter for drilled crops, such as maize, potatoes and vegetables. 



To a South African it is instructive to learn tliat at Bathurst, 

 as in other parts of Australia, experiments have })roved that the 

 principal plant-food which the .soil lacks is phosphatic material 

 in an availaljle form, and here, as elsewhere, it is said that appli- 

 cations of nitrogenous manure have not given returns commen- 

 surate with the outlay. It is likewise interesting to be informed 

 tliat Cape barley is largely grown for green-fodder purposes, 

 making an excellent winter growth, and the skinless barley, 

 although (|uick in growth, does not witlistand the cold of winter 

 as well as Cape barley.* 



Eighty acres are under lucerne at Bathurst, six to seven 

 cuttings being obtained yearly on the irrigation area, aggregating 

 seven tons of hay per acre. The students at Bathurst, if bona- 

 fide residents of New South Wales, are charged a fee of £15 

 per annum, receiving free instruction during the second year if 

 their work and conduct have been satisfactory during the first. 

 Extra-State students ])ay £25 per annum during the first year, 

 with the same concession for their second year; and if they 



* The manager of Kybybolite Experimental I'arni (South Australia), 

 in his report for the year 1912-r,^, says that the barley-crop grown on :\ 

 50-acre block, though not sown until tlie first week of August, returned 

 a heavier yield than had ever been grown on the farm before. The variety 

 was Cape or six-rowed barky, and two bushels per acre were drilled in 

 with 1} cwt. mineral-superphosphate. The soil is as poor as any on the 

 fnrm. ironstone nodules being right on the surface. 



