8 April, 1907] Three Years' Progress in AgncuUiirc. 195 



raised. How great are the possibilities of expansion in Victoria may be 

 seen from the fact that in the two central counties of Bourke and Grant 

 less than 10 per cent, of the land is at present under cultivation; while 

 in the Western district, comprising an area of 8,760,000 acres, only 

 236,000 acres (2.75 per cent, of the whole) are under cultivation, nearly 

 half of which is located in the wheat-growing areas of the Countv of 

 Ripon. Contrasted with this mav he mentioned the Mallee County of 

 Tatchera in which 40 per cent, of the private land is under cultivation 

 each year. No doiubt the difficultv of obtaining farm labour is one reason 

 whv land is allowed to lie comparatively idle, and it is a question worthy 

 of serious consideration whether we have not in Victoria nearly reached our 

 limit of production with the amount of labour at present available. 



Two branches of the export trade alone — fat lambs and fresh pork — 

 offer almost unlimited fields for expansion. The example of New Zealand 

 shows what can be done by growing fodder for lambs on comparatively 

 small areas, and it may be further mentioned that in Great Britain on the 

 same area of land as Victoria, and in spite of its crowded population, the 

 number of sheep is maintained at from 25.000,000 to 30.000,000 — more 

 than twice the number depastured on our comparativelv unoccupied terri- 

 tory. 



Direct Experimental ^?Vork by the Department. 



Fodder Crops. 



During 1903-4 special attention was given to the growth of fodder crops 

 for the benefit of the dairymen living in the southern portions of the State. 

 A large number of experimental fields, embracing every available class of 

 green summer fodder crop, legumes, and root crops was established, to 

 which various artificial fertilizers — singly, and in combination — were ap- 

 plied. The results were highly satisfactory as regards the production of 

 heavy crops of green fodder for direct feeding or ensilage purposes. The 

 various members of the Sorghum and Millet familv. grown side by side 

 under identical soil and climatic conditions, revealed wide differences of 

 yield and feeding quality. 



Comprehensive chemical analyses established information of great benefit 

 to dairymen desirous of compounding an eft'ecti\e and economical ration 

 for dairy cows. The superiority of the Amber Cane, Planters' Friend, 

 Kaffir Corns (Sorghums), and Jrapanese Millet brought these crops into 

 prominence, with the result that thev rapidlv took the place of less nutri- 

 tious varieties hitherto grown. 



Hay Growing. 



Considerable attention was also given to tlie ha\ -growinsjr industry in 

 Southern Victoria, and nearly 100 experimental plots, embracing 24 sepa- 

 rate manurial combinations, were established throughout Gippsland, the 

 Western and Central Districts. The results established the fact that, 

 while the dominant deficiency of the southern soils was phosphoric acid, the 

 commercial forms of fertilizers supplying this ingredient were, alone, in- 

 sufficient to meet the demands of heavy crops of hay. The addition of 

 nitrogen in the forms of sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda in almost 

 every case stimulated the yield, and left a material advantage in favour of 

 a combined dressing. From a monetary point of view, it was effectively 

 shown that an expenditure of 12s. to 15s. per acre in manures produced 

 an additional yield of hay worth at a low estimate from 30s. to 40s. per 

 acre. 



