3i8 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [lo May, 191 i. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN AND EODDEll CROPS ON THE 

 GOVERNMENT EXPERIMENTAL FARM, CHELTENHAM. 



/. M . B. C'Oiinor, Agricultural Suferintendent. 



Three years ago the Department of Agriculture established an experi- 

 mental vegetable garden on the farm of Mr. J. Wedd, situated near the 

 Cheltenham railway station, and engaged the owner as manager under the 

 direction of the Field Branch. Five acres of ground have been set apart 

 and utilized for experimental plots in which new varieties of different 

 kinds of vegetables are grown in season under the ordinary conditions of 

 commercial market gardening, but with up-to-date methods of propagating 

 and improved cultural operations and methods of manuring. Vegetables 

 are now being grown on this farm under manurial conditions unheard of 

 a few years ago. Stable manure has been, and is still, the most satisfac- 

 tory fertilizer used by the market gardeners along the coast from Brighton 

 to Mordialloc ; but, as will be observed from the tabulated returns 

 published below, artificial fertilizers have given marked returns in many 

 instances. The analyses made of this particular soil, and of samples 

 taken from other farms in close proximity to it, show that the amount of 

 plant food contained in this class of soil would not be sufficient for the 

 need of the plants for any length of time, being very deficient in phos- 

 phoric acid. The virgin land was ploughed 4 inches deep, disc harrowed 

 and the rubbish burned off. It was then cross ploughed to a depth of 

 8 inches, disced, and cross harrowed. Stable manure, at the rate of 

 10 tons per acre, was applied, at a cost of ;^3 per acre, and the plots 

 planted with potatoes, cabbages, &c. The second year's operations con- 

 sisted of the planting of various crops of vegetables under manurial tests. 

 These have been continued on the lines recorded in the statement showing 

 the returns for last season. 



The real value of this farm lies in ils monetary returns as everything 

 grown is marketed at a profit; a good deal of the success can be attributed 

 to the thorough work and co-operation of the owner. One of the chief 

 sources of pleasure, and profit, but which is conspicuouc ny its absence on 

 most farms, is a vegetable garden. The growing of vegetables leads to 

 better system of farming and a well tilled garden yields from ten to 

 iwenty times better returns when compared with general farm crops grown 

 on the same area of land. Very few people fully realize the wonderful 

 progress that has been made in the various branches of market gardening. 

 No doubt the rapid progress made on this particular farm is due in no 

 small measure to the thorough system of tillage, the conservation of soil 

 moisture, and the encouragement of the growth of beneficial bacteria in 

 the soil. Irrigation is not practised, and the results already attained 

 certainly augur well for the future. There are pests that require con- 

 tinuous attention and care to combat. Without this the business of market 

 gardening cannot be successfully carried on, and the wide-awake, aggres- 

 sive, and progressive growers who wage war agafnst pests are likely to 

 grow more and better vegetables and make a financial success of the 

 business. Such was clearly demonstrated this season on the sprayed 

 potato plots on this farm. 



