24 Journal of Agriculture. [ii Jan., 1909. 



In the southern districts where the rainfall is 30 inches or over, dairy 

 farming is the most suitable form of industry for the soils which we have 

 been considering. The cultivation should regularly include peas w^ilii either 

 barley or oats, or better still a mixture of peas, beans, barley and oats 

 sown early in autumn as a green fodder crop. On the same paddock a 

 crop of maize or of one of the sorghums can be grown in the summer. 

 Half of the main portion of the cultivation each year should be devoted 

 to oats and the other half to peas, and these crops grown alternately. The 

 effect of this rotation of jx^as and oats, combined with the steady applica- 

 tion of I cwt. superphosphate to the acre, and a few loads of farm-yard 

 manure in addition, is simplv marvellous. The soil is exposed to the 

 sweetening influence of the sun and air, the fertilitv is increased bv the 

 peas and the regular ploughing in of the stubble very rapidly improves 

 the tilth and general condition of the soil. Smaller areas of a dairy farm 

 may be planted with potatoes, mangolds, cabbages and pumpkins, all of 

 which crops are \-aluable not only for keeping up the supply of milk on 

 the farm but also through the large amount ot manure which they produce 

 and which directly or indirectly becomes incorjxvrated with the soil. 



The transforming influence of organic matter on the seals we have been 

 considering is very well exemplified in the vicinity of everv dwelling house. 

 A back yard rapidly becomes an oasis in the desert. It matters not how 

 poor the soil originally was, whether the gravel and clays of the gold- 

 fields or the sand dunes near the sea shore, the fact very speedily becomes 

 apparent. A little attention soon produces a garden where flowers, 

 vegetables or fruit trees flourish in accordance with the skill and taste 

 of the owner. If the back yard is simply allowed to look after itself 

 marsh mallows, nettles, Cape weed and a <lozen similar plants speedilv 

 flourish in rank luxuriance. It must be remembered that Australia is still 

 in the pioneer stage of settlement. In Europe and Asia the land has been 

 in continuous occupation bv civilized men for thousands of years. Large 

 tracts have therefore been transformed practically into continuous areas 

 of garden soil. There is nothing new or mysterious about the methods 

 adopted. The great reason why we may go forward with absolute certainty 

 of success is that we are following on the lines tested bv experience ever 

 :-:ince civilization l)egan. We have full assurance of continuous success on 

 account of the facility with which we can bring large areas under cultiva- 

 tion, and the remunerative returns obtainable from such cultivated land. 

 At the same time the knowledge of phosphatic manures enables us to 

 overcome the first obstacles at a jump instead of laboriously working round 

 them as our forefathers did in former centuries. 



Confirmation by this Season's Results. 



The fact that the aljove views are borne out In jnactical experience 

 has received a ve.r\- striking confirmation by the results of the harvest 

 which has just been gathered. In almost every district cultivation is 

 being steadily pushed in the direction of the jjoorer lands. The past 

 .season has been less fa\orablp than the average, the Umg spell of drv 

 weather in the sj)ring being against a lieaxy yield of lia\. \'et the results 

 of the cultivation of poor land combined with the u^e of phos])haiic 

 manures have in nearly e\cr\ case exceeded the expectations of the farmers. 

 In quite a numl)er of cases the remark has been made that the poor land 

 has scored this season all right. As specific instances may be mentioned 

 the country between Mount Duneefl and the sea coast to the south of 

 Geelong, the goldfields clay country in the neighbourhood of Ballarat, 



