6i2 Journal of Agriculture. [lo Oct., 1908. 



THE GROWING OF FODDER CROPS. 



Demonstration Work on Dairy Farms. 

 G. H. F. Baker, Dairy Supervisor. 



The vicissitudes encountered by the bulk of dairy farmers lately 

 have forcibly emphasized the frequent admonitions by the officers of 

 the Department of Agriculture that profitable dairying cannot, on ac- 

 count of the variation in quantity and the uncertain distribution of the 

 rainfall, be carried on throughout the year by a sole dependence upon 

 grazing. The minority who last season made ample provision to meet the 

 contingencies that arose, and secured a substantial profit as the result 

 of their forethought, which is synonymous with good husbandry, realize 

 how sound was the advice given. Many of the majority will follow the 

 newer and rational methods as they come to realize that the bulk of the 

 15 to 18 tons of green fodder necessary in a year to a cow for the profit- 

 able production of milk can most economically be supplied by hand feeding. 

 As 10 tons of green fodder per acre is a good average return to be obtained 

 in one crop it follows that an area of land commensurate with the quantity 

 (.f fodder required to supplement the feeding of a herd must be cultivated, 

 or from a smaller area two fair crops must be obtained annually, which 

 may be accomplished, as a rule, by systematic rotation. 



That the closer association between farn;ers and officers of the Dairy 

 Supervision Branch is showing valuable results by reason of practical 

 demonstrations in the improvement of cultural methods made possible, is 

 evidenced in this article. 



In order to permit of a practical demonstration being made in the culti- 

 vation of fodder crops two of the largest and longest established dairymen 

 supplying milk to the metropolitan area — Mr. T. Baker who milks an 

 average of 400 cows daily on his farm at Somerton, and Mr. W. Baker, 

 whose herd, milked at his Woodstock farm, averages 300 head — some time 

 ago arranged to have certain land on their farms sown and cultivated 

 according to the methods advocated by the Department, slight variations 

 in different sections being made. 



On Mr. W. Baker's farm an area of 5 acres was set aside for experi- 

 mental plots of several varieties of grain ; and Mr. T. Baker sowed his 

 season's crop of 30 acres of maize in drills of various widths, and kept 

 very complete tally of the results obtained from them. This was a par- 

 ticularly suitable experiment for such a dry season, because what sowing 

 of maize is done in the district is generally on the broadcast system ; and, 

 as the area selected adjoined the road from Melbourne to Kilmore the 

 whole course of the demonstration was in full view of all who passed. 



On Mr. W. Baker's farm at Woodstock the whole of his first 29 

 acres of maize was sown in drills, but the cultivation was varied from that 

 at Somerton and in a second and later sowing of 20 acres, a 4-acre section 

 of the best land was reserved for broadcast sowing under the old method. 

 The several results were very interesting to the many who had the oppor- 

 tunity of noting them. 



Mr. W\ Baker's Experimental Plots of Maize, Peas and Beans. 

 The original intention of getting the yields from each of the experi- 

 mental grain plots weighed separately was frustrated during harvesting 



