8 August, 1907.] Ex-perl mental Farms. 457 



a splendid even growth over the whole paddock and it became one of 

 the sights of the district. It was visited by numerous practical farmers 

 and information has been continually sought as to methods pursued. The 

 main object in sowing this crop was for the benefit of the root action 

 on the soil for future operations, but it became necessary at Christmas 

 time to secure 200 wethers to assist the cows to eat it down. The sheep 

 when fat were sent to Melbourne and realized about their cost, the market 

 being depressed. 



During and after this period the bare fallow was thoroughly worked 

 and graded and eventuallv sown to lucerne in various weights per acre, 

 with and without manure and cover crops and broadcast and in drills 

 of varying widths. The cover crops are wheat and oats and are sown 

 both in the same and in alternate drills and the whole area is showing 

 a very even growth. When the rape was nearly eaten off the engine was 

 set to work to plough and, drawing 11 furrows, achieved highly satis- 

 factory results at a very moderate cost. To show the condition of the 

 ground a neighbour found it impossible to work a full day with 6 

 horses in a 2-furrow plough. The engine could have been loaded with 

 another 4 furrows had such been available ; as it was, the cost came out 

 at less than half of that of horses. Had it not been for stumps the work 

 may be said to have been perfect. This area is now sown to wheat, 

 oats, barley, and prairie grass for grain and silage purposes and is 

 showing a good even spring, but like the rest of the district sorelv re- 

 quires a good soaking subsoil rain. 



Forty-four acres of plain land were fallowed to rape and, though not 

 giving so good a result as the timber land, yet yielded good pasturage. 

 This has now been ploughed in and a crop of Federation wheat sown in 

 various quantities both of grain and manure, the manures being superphos- 

 phate and Thomas' phosphate either alone or mixed. This paddock is also 

 showing a good germination, and with favorable weather conditions should 

 yield w^ell. Thirty-two acres of old cultivation land were sown to Algerian 

 oats and manured with 84 lbs. superphosphate. Circumstances caused the 

 sowing to be late and the crop was very dirty. This when cut vielded 

 6 tons of hay and 5-:^ tons of silage. The paddock has since been ploughed 

 and worked and 5 acres sown to Dun peas (2 bushels per acre), 12 acres 

 to a mixture of rape and peas, and the balance to rape only for grazing 

 off. Fifteen acres of plain adjoining the homestead were .sown to wheat 

 under the same disadvantages as the previous paddock, and yielded abouf 5 

 tons of hay and 15 tons silage. Subsequently the land was worked 

 and graded and a maize crop of 5 acres sown, but inability to get water 

 for irrigation when required prevented this being a success and it was 

 eaten off by the cows. The paddock was worked again and sown to 

 5 acres of Algerian oafs and 15 acres Cape barley for silage purposes; 

 the latter is showing verv fair promise. 



Eight acres of land were sown for experimental ^nurposes in 2 -acre 

 lots with maize, sorghum, Kaffir corn and millet, but the yield was 

 small owing to lack of water. With an acre plot of amber cane sown 

 elsewhere 18 tons of silage were made. The plot has now been worked 

 again and graded preparatory to sowing mangolds and tick beans. Four 

 acres of the old pig paddock were sown experimentally with amber cane, 

 cow peas, soy beans and mangolds. A fair amount of fodder resulted 

 from the cow peas ; the soy beans were attacked and destroyed bv aphis, 

 the amber cane was treated as above, the mangolds yielded a very henvy 

 and profitable crop and are a grand fodder for cows and pigs. The 



