42 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [lo Jan., 191 i. 



In this competition tlie fallowed land inspected reflects great credit 

 on the individual farmers. As the points indicate I had a difficulty in 

 deciding the relative positive results of the competitors. As far as 

 cleanness, and thorough pulverisation of the soil go, Mr. Heinrich's land 

 was the best ; on the other hand, Mr. Barnes had his land fallowed much- 

 earlier and fully 3 inches deeper than any of the other competitors. 

 These two points are of vital importance, and told in favour of Mr. 

 Barnes. One could dig down to a depth of between 7 and 8 inches 

 anywhere on his fallow paddock and find the soil absolutely wet. Suc- 

 cessful farmers strongly recommend deep and early fallowing for several 

 reasons — it increases the water-holding capacity of most soils, admits 

 sunlight and air, extends the root-feeding area, and by conserving the 

 available moisture it enables crops to successfully withstand long stretches 

 of dry weather. Deep ploughing is only recommended where there is a 

 good depth of soil, and in no case where the subsoil is near the surface. 



Best 100 acres of growing crof. 



Section. 



A.— Cleanness . . 

 B. — Trueness to type 

 C. — Freedom from disease 

 D. — Approximate yield per 

 acre 



Total 



Maximum 

 Points. 



10 

 10 

 10 



1 point per 

 bushel 



F. Fisher. 



27 

 55 



W. Barnes. 



A. G. Oust. 



Summary of Av^-ards. 



Best zvorked and t7tanaged farm of an area of 640 acres, or over. 

 (i) F. J. Chaplin. (2) A. G. Cust. (3) J. H. Heinrich. 



Best zvorked and managed farm of an area of over 100 acres, and not 



exceeding 640 acres. 

 (i) Carl Nowotna. (2) G. A. Hoffmann. 



Best 100 acres of grozuing crop. 

 (i) F. Fisher. (2) W. Barnes. (3) A. G. Cust. 



Best fallozved land, not less than too acres. 

 (i) W. Barnes. (2) J. H. Heinrich. (3) F. J. Chaplin. 



The facts brought under notice will be the means, I hope, of indi- 

 cating the lines for future improvements and, I trust, the competitors will 

 accept them in the friendly spirit in which they are given. There is 

 clear evidence that the farmer need not be tied down to his one crop of 

 wheat, but that there is at his command numerous other methods of making 

 money. 



Before closing my report I wish to convey to the President, Mr. J. 

 Saunders, my sincere thanks for the loan of his motor car which enabled 

 me to complete the work of judging in three days, instead of a week 

 under ordinary travelling conditions. I also wish to thank the secretary, 

 Mr. G. R. Riby, for his courtesy and the excellent arrangements made for 

 the inspection of the various farms and crops, and Mr. J. Dart for the 

 valuable time he put at my disposal in directing the location of farms 

 to be judged. 



