45° 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[8 August, J907. 



stiff, cold, uninviting, red clay sub-soil from that depth downward. A 

 similar description applies to the timber soil, although it is, on the whole, 

 somewhat freer and less clayey. Analyses show about the average pro- 

 portions of plant foods for our Northern areas, a striking feature being 

 the apparent equality in this respect of the surface and sub-surface soils, 

 though it is a well recognised fact that the ploughing in of the surface 

 and bringing up of the sub-surface soil mean ruin to the producing quality 

 of the land. Whether these stores of plant food in the sub-surface soil are 

 capable of being made available is another matter and will not be dwelt 

 upon here. The following are the typical analyses of the Wvuna soils 

 and the average of the Northern areas. 



Wyuna Soils. 



Parts per 100,000. 



Timbered Land. 

 From surface to 6 inches depth 

 From (j inches to 12 inches deptli 

 From 12 inches to )8 inches depth 

 From 18 inches to 24 inches depth 



Plain Laud. 

 From surface to 6 inches depth 

 From 6 inches to 12 inches depth 

 From 12 inches to 18 inches depth 

 From 18 inches to 24 inches depth 



96 

 71 



88 

 55 



71 

 95 

 64 



48 



Phosphoric 

 Acid. 



66 

 67 



68 

 81 



52 

 58 

 52 

 64 



Chlorine. 



9 

 14 



5 

 14 



Average Northern Soils. 



Surface 

 Sub-soil 



100 



75 



60 

 45 



4.50 



800 



1 00 

 3,000 



4 



10 



9 



7 

 12 



The Estate, with the exception of a few blocks let upon the share 

 system for wheat growing, was devoted to wool raising and carried nearly 

 one sheep to the acre. After its acquisition bv the Board, the Estate was 

 divided into 141 lots, 12 of about 20 acres for agricultural labourers, 24 

 of about 100 acres for orchards, and 105 for farms varying from 100 

 acres to 442 acres, averaging under 200 acres each. 



With the exception of a portion near the River Goulburn, and subject, 

 at times, to flooding, the whole estate is suitable for irrigated culture, 

 the country being generally flat with a gentle north-westerly fall. It is 

 situated within the area to be supplied with irrigation water "by the Goul- 

 burn-Waranga national scheme of water supply. 



It was at once seen, that with areas of land averaging from one-third 

 to one-fourth of those of the surrounding farmers, different methods of 

 farming would have to be followed, and the Government took steps to 

 reticulate the estate with the most complete and systematic scheme of 

 channelling yet adopted in Victoria with a view to" providing irrigation 

 supplies to each block and in volumes permitting of a considerable propor- 

 tion of irrigated culture. The supply to this system of channels is to be 

 drawn from the main eastern channel from the Waranrra Basin ; this 

 channel is, unfortunately, not }et complete enough to afford a supply of 



