'2 Mar., 1911.] Northern Grain Experimental Fields. 



147 



•■suitable form to equalize matters or the land will suffer. Analyses made 



%y the Chemist for Agriculture show that, even in the richest soils m 

 Victoria, the proportion of phosphoric acid rarely exceeds o.i per cent., 



•or less than 2\ lbs. weight in every ton of soil. The situation 



is therefore serious when one takes into consideration the small 

 percentage of this essential plant food that is available. Observant 

 farmers have noticed that the continuous use of superphosphate, without 



■the application of a corrective such as lime, eventually brings about acidity 



'of the soil. The prolific growth of sorrel is evidence of the fact that some 

 sweetening factor is necessary. 



To grow wheat successfully and profitably the farmer must plan 



.ahead. I consider a thoroughly pulverized, well packed seed-bed of 

 more importance than the application of artificial manures. This can 

 only be accomplished when the soil is ploughed properly, that is, deeply 

 and uniformly. Discing the ground .when it is in just the right con- 



-dition will prevent it from getting hard. There are two advantages. 

 First, it pulverizes the soil in the bottom of the furrow, making good 

 that part of the seed-bed which is most difficult to reach if one waits till 



.after ploughing. Secondly, a large area can be disced much more quicklv 

 than ploughed and will become mellow in a .shorter time. A good seed- 



'bed can best be obtained by ploughing early and working thoroughly. Thf 

 ground that is ploughed each day should be followed by the harrow and 

 worked down to a fine tilth. More lumps can be pulverized in one hour 

 when in the right condition, than in three when the sods become hard and 



•dry. In dry weather it is very important to attend to this mellowing. 



Wheat Returns, Season 1910-11, 

 {Yield fer acre in bushels.) 



Name. 



^Wimmera — 

 Boyd. A. 

 Gibhins, E. . . 

 Longpronong Agricultural 



College 

 Nash, H. 



Average of 4 fiolds . . 



North- 



Horthern and 

 Eastern — - 

 Carter, J. . . 

 Sharp, T. R. . . 



Average of 2 fleld.s 



Mallee and Mnllee Fringe- 

 Innes, D. B. . . 

 I.avery, B. . . 

 McNaughton, J. 

 I'ilgriin, J. . . 

 Williamson, W. 

 Witney, J. . . 



Average of 6 fields 



Average for all fields . . | 



Address. 



Minyip 

 Garup 



Dooen 

 Jung 



Marong 

 Ooorambat 



Rainbow 



Watrhem 



\arraport 



Nhill 



Hoort 



Jeparit 



38-54 

 22-35 



26-61 

 16-96 



19-25 

 18-24 



22-50 



21 -62 



6-32 



6-31 



8-86 



10-80 



12-73 



