26: 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[8 May, 1908. 



ill-effects of trampling in winter. On ilic ctlicr JiaiicL I have seen good 

 meadoivs in the Gonlhum \ alley. There is one of 50 acres on the Wyuna 

 farm, and I have seen smaller patches elsewhere. Still the showing, as- 

 a whole, is disappointing. Surmise and speculation will, however, settle 

 nothing; the only way we can prove it is a hay growing district is to grow 

 hay in paying quantities. It was to test this that the Commission rented a 

 plot of land at Tatura. We are not doing this to show any one how to^ 

 grow hay, but to find out if it can be grown af a profit. But our work 

 is not enough. We might fail w'here some practical farmer would suc- 

 ceed. Hence we offered prizes to encourage such farmers to experiment. 

 If manv go into the matter the competition will have life and good fel- 

 lowship, and those who trv will learn more than those who look on. 



SIDE DELIVERY RAKE. 



One thing is certain, /'/ // luill not pay to grow lucerne for hay it will 

 not -pay to groiv it for pasture. It is a fodder not a pasture plant. The- 

 high food value is in the mature plant ; the young plant is chiefly w-ater. 

 As a hav it uses tlie whole season and the wdiole of the soil. The latter 

 is of special importance in this Valley where the heavy clay sub.soil needs 

 the action of air, water, and vegetable matter. The root of the lucerne 

 plant develops as the top develops, the more leaves and stem there are the 

 stronger and larger the roots. The lucerne roots in a well established 

 meadow sink deep into the tenaceous clay opening it up, making avenues- 

 for air and water to follow, and filling it with vegetable substance on which 

 later generations of plants may feed. 



More important than all other considerations is the fact that the most 

 useful functions of irrigati(jn canals in Victoria is to lessen the hazards- 

 and losses of dry years, to save money and relieve the misery of help- 

 less starving dumb animals. This purpose luill never he fulfilled so long 

 as the land under canals is used as pastoral areas. When dry years come 

 the irrigator is protected, hut he is in no condition to extend aid to the 

 pastoralist on non-irrigated land. Irrigatuig pasture land creates no sur- 

 plus forage; to do this we must grow and store hay. For this purpose no- 

 crop equals lucerne hay. I want you to consider what 100,000 tons of 

 l)ay would have been worth to its owners this season, and what the abilitv to> 



