S Jan., 1908.] Baccliiis Marsh Farm Competition. 



BACCHUS MAR8H FARM COMPETITIOX, 1907. 



G. Harmcr, Dairy Sii-pervisor. 



Report to the Secretary of the Bacchus Marsh, Ballan, and 

 Pentland Hills Agricultural Society. 



I have pleasure in forwarding to you tlie results of my judging of 

 the farm competition held under the auspices of the above society. 



It is unfortunate that the season is so adverse for farming and agricul- 

 tural pursuits generally, but I have based my awards on the conditions of a 

 normal year, making due allowance for the prevailing conditions. 



Stock. 



It is very pleasing to note the effort that is being put forth to im- 

 prove the class of stock in this district. On one farm, I saw almost 

 a typical herd of Milking Shorthorns. It is a pity the scales and Babcock 

 tester are not in evidence on this farm. No matter how good-looking a 

 herd may be the farmer is working a good deal in the dark with regard 

 to actual profits unless he keeps records of both the quantity and quality 

 of milk produced by individual cows. On the other farms no one tvpe 

 stands out very prominently, although there are some specially good all- 

 round dairy cows amongst them. These are the class whose progeny 

 should be kept to supplement the herd from, provided the weight of 

 milk per year and test are in keeping with their appearance and type. 

 On one farm only were the records kept anything like regularly, and this 

 accounts, perhaps, for the herd in this case having been apparently the 

 most profitable I encountered. It takes very little time to find the robber 

 when a herd is managed with this aid. 



The country is specially adapted for dairying, having an abundant 

 supplv of good water; and the land is such that, with proper tillage, it 

 w^ould grow almost anvthing — besides being first class grazing land. 

 There is no reason whv high records should not be obtained, both as regards 

 weight of milk and test. 



The Shorthorn seems to be the sire most generally preferred, and per- 

 haps he is the most suitable, provided enough care is taken in choosing 

 one that has descended from a right milking strain. The advantage is 

 that in cases of failure at the bucket they can be readily fattened on the 

 farms and sold to the best advantage. 



Horse breeding is not altogether neglected in this district. I saw on 

 some of the farms inspected some splendid draught brood mares that 

 have taken prizes and would compare favorably with the best in the State. 

 Some had foals at foot that promise to be as good as, or better than, 

 their dams, so that good sires must be in use. One or two farms I thought 

 to be deficient in this respect. A brood mare is a good money-making 

 machine. She will do her share of the heaviest slow work and rear a foal 

 as well. In this way it is easy to keep up a good team of horses with 

 verv little actual expense. 



Sheep appear to do remarkablv well. I saw^ between 2,000 and 4,000 

 on the farms competing, and did not notice a weak one amongst them. 

 This speaks well for the all-round management prevailing. First crosses 

 (Lincoln-merino) and Shropshires seem to be the favourites. Several farms 

 go in for stud Shropshires, and although they are on the down-grade in the 

 market generallv, verv satisfactorv prices have been obtained for any stud 



