TH6 JOURNAL 



OF 



Tfie department of Mgncufture 



OP 



VICTORIA. 



Vol. IX. Part 3. tOth March, 1911. 



NORTHEKX GRAL\ EXPERIMENTAL FIELDS. 



I.— rp:port ox harvest, season 1910-11. 



y. M . B. Connor, Agricultural Superinicndent. 



This report deals with the results of the sixth year's field 

 trials carried out upon tlie experimental plots to be conducted for 

 seven years under agreement with the Department throughout the 

 Xorthern wheat areas. One of the princii^al objects of these 

 experimental plots is to endeavour to ascertain, by practical de- 

 monstration on the farmer's ^^\sw land, the advantages to be 

 gained to the particular district by the introduction of new varieties 

 of wheats and other cereals likely to yield greater returns per acre ; as 

 against varieties grown locally by the district farmers under the same 

 conditions, and to arrive at some reliable determination as to the relative 

 •advaiitages of the various manures. 



'i"he experimental fiehls at pre.sent being wcjrked under the supervision 

 • ;f the P'ield J^iranch of the Departm.ent of Agriculture compri.se a total 

 area of 531 acres as against 335 acres last year and may be cla.ssilied 

 as follows : — 



Acres. 

 Xorllicrn area wheat fields ... ... ... ... z-^-j 



Maize and forajje Lro])s ... ... . . ... -q 



Subsidy I>l<)ls ... ... ... ... ... ... is" 



Potato' ])l()ts ... .. ... ... . ... ^8 



Soya beans ... ... ... ... lo 



Total ... ... ... ... 531 



The wheat fn-lds are carried out under arrangements which admit of 



cropping over seven con.secntive years and are devoted chiefly to variety 



seed tests, fertilizer tests, c]uantity .seed tests, and rotative courses. The 



forage fields cnmjiri.se cereals, millet, rape, roots, maize, soya beans, tick 



beans, tares and [)eas. 'J'he exi)eriments in connexion with development 



1 — of poor lands are concerned chiefly with the improvement of the light 



^ .siuidy soils in the .southern parts ot the State anil the clay lands in the 



^^ XorHxTii areas. 



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