so Dec, 1909.] Development of A^^ncuUnral Production. 785 



the export branch of the business, while uats, rape, lucerne and other fodder 

 •crops are regularly grown for the sheep and lambs. After a paddock has 

 been under cultivation, every three or four years it is laid down in a mixture 

 of rye grass, clovers and lucerne, and the grazing is thus made one part of 

 the system of rotation in contra-distinction to the permanent dependence 

 upon grazing, which is unavoidable where there is no cultivation. The 

 illustrations show the ample provision made in this way both for green 

 fodder crops, stacks and grain. Five years ago the Agricultural Reporter of 

 the Leader thus described the operations taking place at Baangal : — ■ 



On tlie marked advantages of the rajje tallow s>^stem, special note should be made 



-of Mr. (iardinei's operations at Baangal. This marks the highest development up to 



•date of the fallowing system as applied to grain growing in combir.ation with sheep. 



The bare fallow system is good in itself as a conserver of the moisture in tlie soil, and 



• as a cleaner of the land. The summer and spring tillage of the bare fallow kills the 



wild oats and other weeds, at the same time conserving the winter rains in the subsoil 



by what may be called an earth mulching of the surface. Outside of this, however, 



there is, in the bare fallow system exclusively, the loss of a year's {production. The 



next step in advance was the bare fallow with sheep. Under that system the sheep 



co-operate most effectively with the summer and spring fallow tillage in the wheat 



•cleaning, besides benefiting the land from a manuring point of view and, in addition, 



yielding a profit in themselves. Best of all, however, is utilizing the bare fallow in 



the {)roduction of a spring crop of rape for top]jing up crossbred lambs for the frozen 



meat export trade. In this way the marketable profits from the sheep and lambs are 



increased. First, as regards the fact that the}' can be turned off fat, instead of as 



stores ; second, in the large number that can be kept ; and third, in the increased 



fertilizing value of their action upon the land because of their greater number ; 



and, fourth, in the important manurial eflfect upon the soil of the rape itself. 



On this latter point, Mr. Gardiner's experience is that even if he did not keep 

 -sheep at all he would always sow rape on the bare fallow for its fertilizing value alone. 

 This, of course, is quite in accord with science, which teaches that the rape crop adds 

 a large amount of humus to the soil when it decays, and thus greatly improves the 

 water-holding capacity of the soil. That being so, it can be very easily 

 apprehended how much greater the advantages are in also utihzing the rape for lamb 

 fattening, when buyers for the freezing works are now regularly exploiting the country 

 every spring for the purchase of three months' old 38 lbs. lambs at from" Us. to 16s. 

 each, with delivery taken on the farm or station. Mr. Gardiner testifies to havino- 

 fattened at the rate of 18 Shrop-Merino crossbred lambs per acre during the last three 

 months of the past year. This is evidence that M'ill bear thinking over both as 

 regards the selling profits from the sheep and the fertilizing effects upon the land. 

 Together with his 4 lb. of rape per acre, Mr. Gardiner also drills in 112 lb. per acre of 

 superphosphate, which many may regard as an unnecessary heavy dressing. It has 

 to be remembered, however, that this fallow is the land that early in the following 

 year is to be sown with the wheat crop, and his experience is that it pays well, first in 

 ..starting the rape into luxuriant growth with the earliest spring rains, and second in 

 the after affects u))on the cereal crops wliieh follow. In addition to this, there is the 

 fertilizing effect of the rape itself, togetlier with tlie manurial value of so thick a 

 grazing as 18 lambs per acre. Besides, there is no getting away from the actually 

 demonstrated results. Mr Gardiner's land in its natural state is only uj) to a grazino- 

 average of one sheep to the acre, yet his wheat crops average six bags (24 bushels) and 

 his oats 40 bu.shels to the acre, because they are all grain, so absolutelv clean is the 

 land. 



Since the above was written it is hardly necessary to say that operations 

 have not been at a standstill at Baangal. On the other hand the success 

 achieved up to that time has been developed and rendered year by year more 

 certain. With the increased area under cultivation, the number of live 

 stock has steadily increased, although just at the present time the sheep 

 have for a few months almost disappeared from the property. Still this is 

 a passing phase of the big development, and with the whole area under the 

 cultivation and I'otation system a fully accomplished fact next year, Mr. 

 Gardiner expects to carry a much larger flock than ever the property has 

 -done before. 



