Co-operative Forage Exjwrinieids in tSoiifhrm \'icfori<i. IIP' 



crops giving lieaviei- yields of equal imti'itive value and, iu cases, of 

 greater ])alatability. 



3. That the introduction of improved varieties of maize, from the 

 point of view of a fodder plant, should receive consideration. The 

 requirements in the direction of improvement a])])ear to be a plant 

 throwing up a greater iium])er of stalks branching from the base, of 

 greater succulencv, and a larger pro])ortion of leaf. 



•i. That certain of the sorghums, notably amber cane and Planters^ 

 friend, give promise of proving valuable additions to the summer crops 

 of the South. The less apparent loss in the feeding of those crops^ 

 compared with maize and their greater leafiness and palatability, give, 

 in addition to their large })owers of yield, a set of qualities sufficient 

 to place them as a food supply for later periods in a higher position 

 than even maize. 



5. That the two millets tried, notably the Japanese, have nearly 

 throughout proved a marked success, pleased the eye of the farmer 

 and given heavy yields. The results obtained indicate the advisa- 

 bility of a wide system of future experiment with the many varieties 

 of this class of crop. The great earliness, quick second growth, and, 

 under favorable conditions, heavy yields of the Japanese variety 

 especially mark the cro]i out as one which will probably prove of great 

 value. 



6. That the very large yields in the case of rape indicate an adapta- 

 bility of the South of Victoina for this crop, exceeded, ]jerhaps, by no 

 part of the world. Open to objection, probably, as a food for milking- 

 cows, it will still serve as a most valuable crop for the dairyman. Its 

 large ]iossibilities in the ])roduction of pork and nmtton have as yet 

 barely dawned upon the farmer. Of all the crops tried it shows the 

 most marked response to liberal fertilization. It is useless to expect 

 large crops on the poorer soils without such treatment. 



7. That the beet as a fodder crop has shown the same wide range 

 of ada])tability to the soils of the South as the rape. The special 

 value of this crop will be in its possible utilization at a period when 

 the other crops are done. Giving less yields by probably more than 

 half than the mangel it still seems to be ])referred to this crop by a 

 large number of farmers who have grown both. The opinions of 

 nearly every grower in the Matt'ra district in its favour are the best 

 evidence which can be offered the dairyman. The crop should be 

 grown on every farm of the South. 



8. That the marked success of the cow })ea in the two instances 

 referred to, and the partial success of the soy bean iu one case indicate a 

 possibility of both these crops succeeding in the South, but that experi- 

 ments for the purpose of both proving the particular varieties suitable 

 and the most appropriate times of sowing are first necessary before 

 recommending the crops generally. As both crops are of special value, 

 owing to their high protein content, experiments in this direction are 

 particularly desirable. In fact, all future forage experiments should 



