II Jan., 1909.] Problem of our Unproductive Lands. 25 



inferior "buckshot" volcanic country at Monegatta near Romsey, and 

 the sandy coast lands not only round Brighton, Spring Vale and Dande- 

 nong, but also to the south of Leongatha and other portions of Gippsland. 

 On these areas oaten hay has been the chief crop. Generally from 

 I to I cwt. of superphosphate has been drilled in with the seed. In many 

 cases the resulting crop of hay has been over two tons to the acre. Every- 

 where, the remark has been current that the effect of the phosphates on 

 poor land is much more marked than on rich agricultural soil. The 

 experience of former \ears has not only been confirmed but the fact that 

 many of the areas tried this year were chosen deliberately because they 

 were below the average of fertility has made the results appear still more 

 striking. What I have described above as the first step on the up grade 

 has thus been accomplished. In many cases the ploughing in ct the 

 stubble and the more thorough working of the land will insure a better 

 crop next year, but there is no doubt that after one or two crops of oats 

 the introduction of peas has a markedly beneficial effect on all the poorer 

 classes of soils. If to this be added the farm yard manure which is 

 produced by the consumption of the hay crop harvested this season the 

 system necessarv to continue the progressive development of these soils 

 will be in full working order. 



Improvement in the Mechanical Condition of the Soils. 



Very striking evidence is accumulating as to the importance of " tilth " 

 as a measure of the productivity of these soils. Two instances may be 

 cited. On the Mount Xavier farm, Ballarat, the soil is a stiff silurian 

 clay in many parts denuded of what little surface soil which once existed. 

 The surface had been partly carted away to enrich the surburban gardens 

 in the neighbourhood and partly had been worn away by the old cart 

 tracks which traversed the slopes of the hill in all directions. The con- 

 ditions under which this farm was taken in hand were therefore as 

 unpromising as possible. Several large heaps of material from abandoned 

 shafts remained from the early days of the goldfields. The slate and 

 sandstone which had thus been brough^t to the surface had to a large 

 extent weathered down to a coarse sand consisting of grains of quartz 

 and other hard rocks. Such quantities of this material as were not used 

 in filling up the abandoned shafts were scattered on the clay land in the 

 neighbourhood and incorporated with the surface soil by ploughing and 

 cross ploughing. On such portions the crop of oaten hay was decidedly 

 heavier than on the average of the 50 acres. The improvement in the 

 mechanical condition has been very marked. A similar state of affairs 

 has been brought about by three seasons' work in the experimental farm 

 on the Heytesbury grass-tree countrv. Originallv the surface soil was 

 so permeated by the roots of the dwarf scrub, heath and bushes that, 

 when the ground was first broken up, an immense quantity of the larger 

 sized roots (averaging perhaps an inch in diameter) had to be picked out 

 by hand. The smaller roots have now rotted and become incorporated 

 in the surface loam. The result has been two-fold. Not only have the 

 crops steadilv im,oroved but the labour of working the land and the finish 

 which it was possible to obtain bv ordinarv implements has improved 

 year by year. It will be seen therefore that evidence is readily available, 

 both in the experimental work carried out by the Department and in the 

 results obtained by the more enterprising class of farmers, that the problem 

 of the profitable utilization of such soils is practically solved. 



