S April, 1907] Tliree Years' Progress in Agriculture. 



199 



State Farms. 



1. '\YyiiJia. — In coniit^xion with the siil)(li\isi()n of the W\una Instate, it 

 was decided to establish a farm at the old homestead. The area is 500 

 ■acres, about one-half of which will be worked under irrigation, and the re- 

 mainder by dry -farming methods. Substantial progress has already been 

 made, 250 ewes, with their lambs, were fattened last spring, and there are 

 now on the farm a herd of 50 dairy cows, with ample provision of silage 

 and fodder crops to carry them on for several months. It is anticipated 

 that this farm in the centre of one of the chief irrigation areas will prove 

 of great value in enabling settlers on small areas of irrigated land to adopt 

 sound and profitable methods from the start. 



2. Ruthergleu. — Attached to the Viticultural Station is an area of 800 

 acres of rather poor box country. It has been decided to work this as a 

 general farm, and at the same time to utilize the buildings originallv in- 

 tended for a college as an educational centre for the orphans from the 

 Neglected Children's Department. Twenty-two boys are now being trained 

 to farm and vineyard work, and are at the sa,me time receiving a sound 

 school education. Preparations are now complete for receiving fifteen more 

 boys. One hundred acres are cultivated, and there are 300 sheep and 70 

 ■cattle, chieflv dair\ cows, on the farm. 



3. Whitfield. — An abandoned block of 140 acres in the Whitfield Estate 

 has been taken up, and the experimental tobacco farm formerly at Edi, a 

 few miles distant, transferred to it. Before this farm can be developed 

 it requires to be thoroughly drained. This work is now nearly complete. 

 The experience gained at JEdi proves that this district is well adapted for 

 the growth of tobacco, broom corn, maize, and lucerne. 



4. Ballarat. — An area of 120 acres has been transferred tO' the Depart- 

 ment bv the Ballarat East Town Council for a period of 21 years. The 

 l;uid is stringvbark clav country, typical of all our chief mining centres. 

 This farm will serve to show what can be done with a small area of land 

 hitherto regarded as nearly valueless, or at the most only adapted for the 

 growth of timber or fruit trees. 



Agricultural Education and Pioneer Work. 



The movement in fa\our of agricultural education is becoming deeper 

 and more widespread, and there is ample evidence to show that it will prove 

 a source of interest and profit not only by the lads on tlie farms but to older 

 and more experienced men also. 



Farmers' Classes were organized by the Department of Agriculture in 

 1902. when they were held in three centres. No' classes were held the 

 following vear, but in 1904 the number of centres increased to seven, in 

 1905 to eleven, and in 1906 to eighteen. During the present year arrange- 

 ments have already been made for conducting the classes in 26 centres. 

 Last year the number of students enrolled numbered i,3-°- T'lt" P''<">' 

 gramme adopted this year comprises a fortnight's instruction, consisting of 

 lectures in the afternoon, demonstrations in the morning, and illustrated 

 lectures in the evening. The classes are arranged for bv the Agricultural 

 Societv or a local committee, who have the choice of half the sul)jects lec- 

 tured on each week. The present programme is, first week: — 

 Compulsory subject — "The Principles of Agricuhurc. " 

 Optional subjects — Either {a) "Sheep Breeding and Management," 

 or (h) " Dair\- Farming.'" 



