l62 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[lo March, 1909. 



PROGRESSIVE FARMING. 



No. 2.— Dean's Marsh. 



T. Cherry, M.D.. M.S., Director of Agriculture. 



I have frequently pointed out through the columns of the Journal that 

 the problem of progressive improvement of the poorer class of land in 

 Victoria is essentially one of the application of phosphoric acid combined 

 with the keeping of increasing numbers of live stock. Increased cultivation 

 may also be considered an essential part of the scheme, at least as far as 

 its practical application is concerned. In theory the same results may be 

 obtained by grazing, but in practice the amount of fodder necessary to 

 provide sustenance for the increasing number of animals can only be 

 obtained by the use of the plough. Our illustrations shoAv the above 

 principles turned to practical account at the farm of Mr. J. Stewart, 

 Dean's Marsh. 



YOUNG CROP OF MAIZE AND MILLET. 



This land originally formed part of the Yan Yan Gurt estate and consists 

 of the sandy soil and sandy loams, frequently met with in the coastal 

 districts of Victoria. The rainfall is approximately 30 inches per annum. 

 Originally the land was heavily timbered with fairly large trees. These 

 had been ringbarked from the early days, so that most of the dead trunks 

 have fallen and disappeared. As was so frequently the experience of the 

 pioneers, the growth of scrub and saplings proved a more formidable 

 task than the original forest with which the hills were clothed, and 

 consequently the land has not only to a large extent reverted to a state 

 of nature, but the task of bringing it again into cultivation is far greater 

 than would have been the case if the land were in its original condition. 

 In many parts the growth of wattle scrub is rather a noticeable featuie 

 of the landscape. 



