30 J-\N., 1018.] Field Day, Longerenong College. 3 



niiiiinmiii of cost. With some of the rotations, the fertility of the soil 

 would increase year by year. With others, the fertility would be 

 depleted. The results from these tests would become more and more 

 interesting every year, because the effect of the rotation would be 

 reflected in the yields of wheat obtained from each. 



Passing on to the permanent fertiliser plots, Mr. Richardson said that 

 four years' results had now been obtained. The results showed that 

 superphosphate was the most effective of all the phosphatic manures — 

 more effective than basic slag, bonedust, or a mixture of basic slag and 

 super. By means of a blackboard, he showed the following results : — • 



It would be seen that at Longerenong, over a period of four years, 

 the average increase of the -g-cwt. plot over the unmanured plot was 

 6.1 bushels, worth, at 4s. per acre, 24s. 6d., and the net profit, after 

 deducting the value of the fertiliser, was 22s. 6d. Similarly, the 1-cwt. 

 plot gave a net increase of 7.8 bushels over the no-manure plot, worth 

 31s. per acre, and the net profit over and above the unmanured plot 

 was 26s. per acre. The highest gross and net return Avas obtained by 

 the 2-cwt. dressing. 



These results showed conclusively that liberal dressings of fertiliser 

 were more profitable than lighter applications, and that it would pay 

 farmers in the district to fertilise more liberally than they had hitherto 

 done. Here, at the College, the regular practice was to sow 1 cwt. of 

 super, per acre over the whole farm area, and the yield of the crops 

 during the past three years had certainly been justified by results. 

 There was no danger from liberal dressings of fertiliser on the Wimmera 

 soils, for they were well charged with lime, and could stand heavier 

 dressings than country devoid of that ingredient. There w^as an added 

 advantage from the liberal dressings, inasmuch as the stock-carrying 

 capacity of the farm was increased, because of the indirect effect of 

 the fertiliser in stimulating the natural herbage in the year the land 

 was lying in pasture. Heavy dressings of fertiliser meant big crops 

 of wheat, and heavy growth of herbage on the stubbles following the 

 wheat, which meant more sheep could be kept and bigger returns 

 per farm. 



Mr. Richardson pointed out that neither nitrate of soda, sulphate of 

 potash, nor lime, either singly or in combination, appeared to be 

 required on Wimmera soils. This was a decided advantage, for these 

 fertilisers were someAvhat costly in application. Farmyard manure 

 gaA-e excellent returns, and in wet seasons there was no manure that 

 could approach it. It was, however, particularly suitable to Avet soils, 



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