8 Jan., 1907.] Tatura Farm Competition. 29 



TATURA FARM COMPETITION, 1906. 



W . Gamble. 

 Report to the Secretary, Tatura Agricultural Association. 



Section A. — Small Farms. 



In the small-farms section one farm only was entered — that of Mr. 

 Gardom, situated about two miles from Byrneside Railway Station. On 

 inquiring along the road the location of Mr. Gardom' s farm, the ready 

 answer came, " That place where you see the rows of pines and pepper 

 trees." This was an apt description, and in the distance we could see 

 trees extending all around the farm homestead. On arrival we were told 

 that tree-planting formed one of the features of the farm work each year. 

 The yaung trees are raised from seed and planted out the following season ; 

 pines, peppers, sugar gum and lemon-scented gum are intermixed, making 

 a beautiful contrast, and providing shade from the burning rays of the 

 sun, and shelter from the cold winds in winter. Mr. Gardom believes in 

 beautifying his farm, and when told, on one occasion, that trees would not 

 wipe the debt off the farm, his reply was — " The trees will be there when 

 the debt is paid off." Mr. Gardom -gained his farm experience bv working 

 for farmers, his first wages being onlv 5s. per week ; he then took work at 

 fencing, grubbing timber, harvesting, or anything whereby he could earn 

 an honest penny, and it is creditable to him to have such a model and 

 unique farm to enter in the competitions. The area of the farm is 240 

 acres, subdivided into eleven paddocks, ranging in size from 4 to 50 acres. 

 A glance at the neatly-fenced and kept yards, good subdivision fences and 

 gates, comfortable home surrounded bv an orchard, vegetable and flower 

 garden, shows everywhere the result of hard work and good taste. On the 

 farm dairying and cultivation are the two chief sources from which an in- 

 come is derived. 



The rotation followed is, first year fallow, second wheat, third oats, 

 and, by adopting this system along with thorough cultivation, there has 

 never been a failure. This year there is a splendid 50-acre paddock of 

 v/heat with very few wild oats or dirt, and well up to the standard of any 

 of the wheat crops entered for the competition. There are also 30 acres 

 Algerian oats, with another 30 acres for hay, this paddock being one of 

 the oldest cultivated paddocks in the district. It was broken up 32 years 

 ago, and will yield a good return this vear. There are two lucerne pad- 

 docks, 10 acres each, which are grazed in rotation; these are handy to the 

 irrigation channel, the water being obtained at a cost of 2s. per acre for 

 three waterings. With the application of water lucerne grows rapidly, and 

 gives plenty of green succulent feed during the summer months. The one 

 difficulty in irrigating this land is the number of depressions or "crab- 

 holes " where the water collects, and is held as if in a basin bv the 

 retentive clay underneath. This causes the lucerne to wither and die, and 

 consequently most of the paddocks show bare patches. It is quite evident 

 that this class of land requires preparation for irrigation, so that the water 

 mav be distributed evenlv over the surface. Mr. Lockwood, the President 

 of the Agricultural Societv, is anxious that experiments be .made to deter- 

 mine the cost of levelling down the surface, so that the water will not 



