8 April, 1907] \V Iwai and Oat l\A-periiiieuts. 241 



was enabled to perform its functions to the best advantage. The use of 

 Thomas phosphate in plot 8 shows a return in e\ery wav comparable with 

 that of the same amount of superphosphate in plot i. The unmanured 

 plot 4 shows a falling off of over 4 bushels per acre, as compared with the 

 smallest dressing of superphosphate. As the cost of the superphosphate 

 on plot I was only 2s. 3d. per acre, and 4 i-5th bushels of wheat are 

 valued at about iis. 6d., there is a very fair margin of profit. If we 

 reckon the cost of the manures used on plot 7 at 9s. 6d. per acre, we will 

 find a net profit of over 14s. per acre, reckoning wheat to be worth 2s. 9d. 

 per bushel. These facts are indisputable, and serve to emphasize the 

 necessity of grain-growers departing from the rigid plan of using one lorm 

 of manure only. Manure dressings combining two or more forms would 

 appear to well repay the slightly higher cost of application, and the atten- 

 tion of farmers in the central and southeTn portions of the State 's 

 pointedly directed to this fact. The exact combinations and proportions 

 of each are matters for the attention of the farmer himself, and might 

 require a year, or even two, of experiment. 



Skipton. — The constitution and manure dressings of this field were 

 identical with those of the one at Waubra. The seed was furnished by 

 the fai'mer, Mr. J. Gardiner. 



Here again the three dressings of superphosphate in plots i, 2, and 3 

 show proportionate increases. The additional nitrogen in plots 5 and 6 

 has caused practically no increase in yield. It is most unfortunate that 

 the yields from plots 7 and 8 were rendered worthless by being on wet 

 land, the crop being furthermore injured bv a hail storm and grubs. It 

 is surely an eloquent testimony of what artificial manures can effect, when 

 we see two plots, 3 and 4, side by side, the former yielding 15.6 bushels 

 and the latter 3.9. The difference of 11. 7 bushels, at 2s. 9d. per bushel, 

 gives an extra money return of 32s., which, after deducting 4s. 6d. for the 

 cost of the manure, leaves 27s. 6d. per acre net profit. 



I desire to especially draw the attention of farmers to the wide differ- 

 ence in the yields produced by 84 lbs. and 112 lbs. of superphosphate. 

 Many farmers think that it matters little whether they use 60, 80, or 

 100 lbs. of manure, but in that thev are wrong. It does matter very 

 seriously ; for instance, the extra 28 lbs. of manure in plot 3 over plot 2 

 give nearly 4 bushels of wheat. The additional money cost is only about 

 IS. 3d. per acre, but the additional monev difference is nearly iis. Verb. 

 sap . 



Munro. — It would be difficult to find anv soil less inviting or anvtliing 

 so opposed to local ]:recedent as wheat-growing on the poor land in the 

 vicinity of Munro railway station. Of a light sandy nature, the soil 

 bears a scanty crop of natural grass, and is, moreover, moderately heavilv 

 timbered with she-oak and stringy-bark, and is alleged to be of poor stock- 

 carrying capacity. 



A piece of virgin land. 2 acres in extent, on Mr. W. Kirkham's farm, 

 was cleared, grubbed, and ploughed early in 1906, and was sown with 

 wheat in May of that year. In the light of the experience gained, it may 

 be said that the most appropriate seeding would appear to l)e about li 

 bushels per acre. As offering a partial explanation of the lowness of the 

 yields, it mav be said that the wheat used was a Mallee variety, and hence 

 unsuitable for the Munro district. 



In this case the behaviour of the increasing dressings of superphos- 

 phate on plots I, 2, and 3 has not been uniform. It was remarked in 



