Journal of Aii^ric lilt lire. [lo Mav, 1910. 



success, or otherwise, of such an experiment as the one under review 

 depends in no small mt-as.r/i' upoii the stamp of man and his enthusiasm. 

 Fortunately, in Mr. Hutchings, the Department has the co-operation of 

 an enthusiast who enters thoroughly into the work, and gives \aluable 

 a.ssistance at all times. 



LANG LANG FODDER CROP COMPETITION. 



/. .S'. McFadzean, Dairy Supervisor. 



The competition held ur.der the auspices of the Lang Lang Agricultural 

 Society was for the best 4 acres of maize, and i acre of other fodders 

 of not less than two kinds. In awarding points, I have considered these- 

 two sections to be of equal \Aw ; the smaller area Ijeing on the line of an 

 experimental plot for the district, while the largrr one dealt with the crop 

 that was most generally grown at this season. 



There were five competitors, and 1 ha\e placed them in the following 

 order : — ■ 



1st. Mr. A. T. Priestly, 4th. Mr. ]). Cochrane, 



211(1. Mr. C. Wildes, ' 5II1. Mr. T. I'atiillo. 



:iril. Mr. D. J. (rardiner, 



All the comijeting farms have lirst class flat land ; Init the soils on tlie 

 situations cho.sen for the crops varv somewhat throughout in colour, ijualit) 

 and friability, some showing a much la.rger humus content than others. 

 Only on one farm, Mr. Priestly's, had manure been used ; and. as a general 

 rule, it does not appear to be required here. Still, where Mr. CcK-hrane's 

 crops were sown, thie condition of the land suggested that it might have 

 been improved by a dressing of well-rotte^d farm refuse, for it was rather 

 cloddy and dry looking. 



Mr. Cochrane's farm is at Caldermeade, and was the first inspected. 

 In this case, the 4 acres of maize were sown in hand on 15th November 

 in rows 3 feet wide, the seed having previously been steeped in water to 

 insure a more even and quick germination. The variety used was Hickory 

 King; and the crop was of fair (jualfity, hut rather thin, which was mainly 

 due to only 15 lbs. of .seed per acre having been .sown. I'his is too' light a. 

 sowing for fodder purposes, except under particularly favourable conditions- 

 iind with a first class germination. The ground between the rows had been 

 twice scarified, and the crop was fairlv clear of weeds. This was the first 

 time the paddock had been cropped, and the ground was not in its best 

 condition ; con.sequentlv, the maize had not made the profuse growth that 

 is more generally characteristic of it in this district. It was only about 

 5?, to 6 feet high, and equal tO' 7 tons of green fodder ])er acre; the cobs, 

 were then but partly developed. It had also been slightly touched b> 

 frf)st. The other acre on this farm c<;ntained pumpkins, mangolds, millet 

 and cabbage crops in varied pro]>ortions. The pumpkins and millet had 

 done fairly well, but the ground where the mangolds and cabbage were- 

 grown was very poorly cropped. The vacant part of the mangold area 

 liad l;een recently filled in with transplanted roots, but they had not yet 

 set. This ground had also' been recently worked between the rows, and 

 was in very fair order as regards weeds. There were only two rows of 

 millet, which was about .^| to 4 feet high, and well headed. There was 

 a single roiw of cabl)age, but such hearts thac had formed were small. The 

 pumpkins occupied more than half of this ,\cre and y)romised to be a fair 



