Survey of the Work, &c., of Victorian Agricultural Department. 797 



staff of this Branch were on the look-out for employment elsewhere. 

 This state of matters rendered Dr. Howell's task doubly difficult. 

 Fortunately increased salaries have been granted, and ii the same 

 increments are given occasionally we have every prospect of retaining- 

 the young men who have received this special training. As Dr. Howell 

 furnishes an extended report, I will not go into the work of the 

 Branch in detail but there are some main features to which I must 

 refer. 



Field experimental work has been of immense advantage to 

 farmers. The main question of what manures shovdd be applied to 

 four-tifths of Victorian soils has been answered. In the northern or 

 drier areas a dressing of from 5U to 75 lbs. of superphosphate has 

 been found to be all that was necessary so far, nitrogen and potash 

 not being found to give increased yields equivalent to their cost. In 

 the wetter areas or on the south side of the Dividmg Range 2 cwt. 

 of superphosphate applied with a drill, and | cwt. to 1 cwt. sulphate 

 of ammonia or nitrate of soda applied broadcast, has been found to 

 be the most economical dressing, while potash as a rule in either wet 

 or dry areas has not given results which would warrant its applica- 

 tion. Of course there are numerous other facts as to the relative 

 values of different manures established, but the knowledge 

 of the facts I have stated is a sure guide to manuring on the 

 great majority of Victorian soils, and is worth tens of thousands of 

 pounds to the agricidtural community. 



We are all rejoicing in the bountiful harvest of the past 

 season, but if it had not been for the Chemical Branch the full 

 benefit of the rains would not have been realised. In an 

 average season in the north, manuring caused an average 

 increase of 5 bushels to the acre whereas this season the average 

 increase has been 10 bushels, so that much of the bountiful harvest 

 is due to the knowledge which farmers have gained from the Depart- 

 ment. In Bulletin No. 13 just issued you will find results of experi- 

 ments conducted during the last season. These have proved that a 

 great number of forage crops can be grown successfully in the south, 

 and show the effect of manuring on these crops besides giving a vast 

 amount of facts of deep interest to farmers. 



The method of experimenting in the past has been to establish 

 small experimental fields in co-operation with farmers, but the infor- 

 mation gained has only been in reference to one crop. This system, 

 although excellent at first when so little was known, has already served 

 its purpose, and it is now advisable that experiments should extend 

 ovei a series of years so that the after effects of manuring on succeeding 

 crops can be determined, and that the advantages of fallowing, deep 

 cultivation, rotation of crops, liming, draining, and many other more 

 intricate questions should be decided. It has therefore been arranged 

 that experimental work in future shall be carried out on fields of from 

 5 to 10 aci'es, and over a period of not less than 6 years. 



An officer will be put in charge of several fields, and farmers who 

 are good enough to undertake the work will be paid for fencing and 



