lo Nov., 1911.] To Start Farming. 733 



TO START FARMING. 



11.— HINTS FOR BEGINNERS. 



Wm. Gamble, Farm Superintendent, Dookie Agricultural College. 



Among the hundreds of people now going on the land in Victoria under 

 the Closer Settlement Scheme are many who have had no experience of 

 farming under local conditions. This class will include all immigrants 

 who take up blocks, as well as those of our own people who are taking 

 up land for the first time. 



The main difficulty for them will lie in deciding on the branch of farm- 

 ing that will suit them best. And this decision must be influenced by two 

 main considerations : — First, the necessity of obtaining returns in the 

 shortest time possible; and, second, that the amount of ready cash avail- 

 able for equipping the farm is, in most cases, strictly limited. Having 

 decided on the branch to be followed, there remains the problem, " What 

 is the irreducible minimum of expenditure on necessary live stock, plant, 

 and improvements?" 



The following notes are written in the hope that they m ly be of .some 

 .ser\ice in assisting such beginners during the first three months. 



The Choice of a Branch. 



Farming may be divided into two classes: — {a) Dry farming; 

 {b) Irrigation farming. 



The latter class will be dealt with in these notes. Take for granted 

 that the settler has ^£300 at his disposal, and that a block has been secured 

 in an irrigation area, say, 50 acres, at ^^lo per acre. The freehold of 

 this block may be obtained by 31I annual payments cf ^30 each ; this is 

 equal to an annual rental of 12s. per acre. 



There are several branches from which the .settler mav make a 

 choice, e.g., 



1. Dairying, combined with pigs and poultry; 



2. Growing cereals, for grain and hay; 



3. Growing fruit for local and oversea markets: 



4 .\Iarket gardening (including potato-growing and onion-growing) ; 



5. Sheep for the production of export lambs and wool; 



6. Wine making ; raisin and currant production. 



Of these branches, I consider that, for the axerage settler, dairying 

 (with pigs and poultry) offers the best i)rospects. The climate and .soil 

 of Victoria are particularly well adapted for dairying, and the markets 

 are assured. The export trade in butter is firmly established, it amoun'.ed 

 to 25,000 tons for the 1910-11 .season, and the London market can ab.sorb 

 any surplus of the local markets, .so that the industry can be regarded as 

 a jiermaiK^nt one The settler who commences with small lots of live 

 stock, and graduallv increases llum as means allow, cannot go very far 

 wrong. Until the farm is well established, he should be constantly o:ir 

 the watch to avoid incurring umicccssary expense. He should look W(>11 

 ahead niid ( ultivate a sufficient area to provide ample fodder for the stork, 

 and should consume on the farm all the fodder he grows, turning it int.> 

 butter, bacon, and «'ggs. He will fnid no more |)rcfitable method of dis- 

 posing of his crops. 



Imi'Kovemknts on the Farm. 



L'lvler theCrcilit I'"i>nricr system, adv.nucs are matl- bv th.' Lands Pur- 

 chase Hoard for sut h improvements as out buildings, grading, channeling. 



