Co-Ope rafir I' Forage Experiniods in So^ithern Victoria. 105 



will be seen, taking- the average of the four fields, are a good deal in 

 excess of the amber cane. It is, however, very slow of growth, requires 

 plenty of moisture, and is about fit for cutting just before the first 

 frosts. Its only use, I think, woukl be for silage. It will not, I 

 think, catch on generally as a forage. 



Other Crops. 



Rapk. 

 We have just dealt with a number of crops of similar eluiracter- 

 istics, but a number of other crops of widely different characteristics, 

 although of quite equal importance, were also included in the season's 

 tests. No crop in the whole series tried ])roved such a success as 

 rape. The enormous yields generally secured came as a surprise to 

 the majority of growers, and it will not, I think, be long before the 

 value of the crop is generally recognised throughout Southern Victoria, 

 where it appears to succeed admirably over a wide range of soils. 

 The following figures will show the comparative yields with maize : — 



In the figures I called attention to in the early part of the paper 

 it was shown that the yield of 17' 18 tons was secured as an average 

 of twenty fields. Among the twenty crops grown there were in six 

 cases returns exceeding oO tons to the acre, and in three other cases 

 yields exceeding 20 tonii. The maximum crop grown was at the 

 farm of Mr. Gooding, of Moe Swamp, where the enormous yield of 

 nearly 47 ^ tons per acre was obtained on one of the manured sections. 

 The minimum yield obtained was half a ton to the acre from poor, 

 sandy, and unmanured country, which by manuring produced as a 

 first cut over 5| tons to the acre. The results obtained in the fertiliz- 

 ation of this crop have been regular and general. The enormous 

 growth possible in the short period of time, seems to i-equire for its 

 maximum development an abundance of readily available plant food, 

 and there is no crop that has so readily responded to the a] )})lication of 

 fertilizers. On soils of a poor nature, yielding as a return in their 

 natural state a ton or less of forage, increases of 9, lU and 11 tons 

 have been secured over and above this. As a food for milking cows 

 the rape has been condemned on account of the taint it imparts. 

 The opinions I have got from dairymen vary greatly on this point, 

 and much of the trouble probably rests in injudicious methods of 

 feeding; bvit even admitting such a fault, the value of the crop in 

 other directions far outweighs this. It produces an abundant fiow of 

 milk, and as a food for sheep, pigs, and poultry is held iu the highest 

 esteem in Europe. The experiments of the present year justify my 



