TO March. 1909.] Luccdic 011 the Upper Goiilhiirn. 



191 



to see a start being made in this respect at JNIr. Strickland's; a room has 

 been set apart with tester, &c., and the system \\ill evidently soon be in 

 full swing. 



The returns per cow on all farms were excellent, viz. : — 



T. Strickland, ;^"i4 13s. gd. per head for 173 cows ( Milk). 

 J. Gaul, £12, IS. 6d. per head for 63 cows (Cheese). 

 J. G. Tyssen, ;,^"ii 12s. per he.id for 15 cows (Cream). 



-Last season's prices were exceptional, Mr. Gaul having obtained as high as 

 IS. per lb. for cheese during Fleet week. 



Mr. Strickland has all the up-to-date appliances for handling a big 

 supply; of milk for Melbourne, a 22-horse power Hornsby suction gas engine 

 •driving his refrigerator and pumping water for the general supply. 



The water supply on the two farms at Darnum is excellent. Clean, 

 fresh creek water is laid on everywhere with troughs and ball taps at Jhe 

 winning farm. It is brought by gravitation to a large reservoir and is 

 then pumped by a windmill (or engine if the wind fails) into over-head 

 ■tanks from whence it is reticulated all over the farm. 



It only requires one or two good silos at these two properties to make 

 ■.them complete up-to-date dairy farms. 



The result of the judging is: — 



Order. 



T. Strickland, Darnum 

 -J. Gaul, Darnum 

 -J. G. Tyssen, Neerim 

 South 



LUCERNE ON THE UPPER GOULBURN. 



A particularly fine sample of lucerne from the third cut was recently 

 forwarded to the Director of Agriculture by Mr. H. Wightman, of 

 'Thornton, who has supplied the following details regarding the crop 

 which was grown without irrigation : — 



" The sample of lucerne I sent you is from a plot of 2 acres sown in 

 November, 1906, as an experiment. The spring of that year was very wet 

 and suited the late sowing. The amount of seed per acre was from 

 17 to 20 lbs. which I think is rather heavy as the crop has a tendency 

 to lie down in places, the soil being very rich. 



I followed out your instructions with regard to using the scarifier to 

 tear the ground roots, &c., with good results, but I think the disc 

 harrows better for splitting the roots. 



The first crop was cut on 28th November, 1908; the second, on 30th 

 December ; and the third on the 7th February. I noted the dates as 

 they will be useful when advocating lucerne growing. Over i ton to 

 the acre was obtained at the third cut. 



I put in an additional 7 acres last September, sowing 15 lbs. of seed 

 per acre. The seed in onie part did not come tooi freely, but I am not 

 "disheartened — it is my intention to lay down another portion this year." 



