276 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 May, 1919. 



the remaining lambs — Ci'ossbreds out of comeback ewes by Lincoln rams — 

 brought 19s. off shears, and averaged 4 lbs. of wool, worth 124d. per lb. 

 Some sold in the wool brought 23s. 



As an instance of the number of sheep the rye grass that grows natu- 

 rally on the wheat stubbles will carry, Mr. Milbourne mentioned a paddock 

 of 118 acres off which, in 1917, six bags of wheat to the acre were stripped. 

 In 1918, 320 weaners placed on this paddock on the rye-grass, which came 

 up as usual on the stubbles, were carried there long enough to indicate 

 that they could have been left right through the year without a change if 

 that were desirable. Mr. Milbourne finds " self-sown " rye-grass to yield 

 about the same weight of hay per acre as stubble-drilled oats. A rye-grass 

 property in the vicinity was recently let for grazing at double the normal 

 rental for the district. 



Mr. McAlister, of " Marrion Park," Galaquil, has furnished the fol- 

 lowing instances of the results in the Mallee: — At his property 500 ewes 

 and 300 lambs wei'e placed on a paddock of 280 acres on 1st August, 

 1918. They were removed as fit in the first week in January, 1919, 

 although the feed was not exhausted. They were sold at Murtoa under 

 the Imperial marketing scheme, and were pronounced " extra prime." 

 The ewes averaged 65-70 lbs. dressed weight, and the lambs 36 lbs. 



At Minyip, Messrs. Barnes and Young mentioned the case of their 

 paddock of 196 acres, on which last year 300 ewes had been " lambed 

 down." A truck of the best topped the market at 32s. 6d., while the rest 

 sold as freezers at £1 per head. Owing to a second mating, there was 

 another drop of lambs, which, together with the ewes, the paddock was 

 carrying when seen in the third week in November, when there was still 

 plenty of feed, and the grass was forming seed freely. 



Thus the numerous statements as to the high carrying capacity of the 

 grass appear to be justified. All are agreed that stock are very fond 

 of the grass, and will leave other pastures for it. The general consensus 

 of opinion concerning the dry feed, however, is that it is somewhat harsh, 

 though when moistened by dew or rain, and a choice of feed is available, 

 the animals show a decided preference for the rye-grass stubbles. It 

 is claimed, notwithstanding, that stock do well on the dry feed until it is 

 spoiled by the autumn rains. Further, there appears to be an absence 

 of impaction trouble as a result of using the dry feed. 



Control. 



While there is general agreement among those familiar with the 

 grass with regard to its carrying capacity, the same cannot bo said of 

 the opinions expressed as to its suitability for growing on the wheat 

 farm. 



There are those who claim that wheat cannot be profitably grown on 

 a ])addock that has once been sown down to the grass, and, further, that 

 it tends to spread to other cultivation ])addocks. Numerous cases are 

 instanced where wheat-growing 'nad to be abandoned as a result of the 

 grass. 



On the other hand, though it is not denied by its advocates that on 

 those farms where the grass has become well established a minimum area 

 is now sown to wheat, yet it is contended that in some cases this reduction 

 was voluntary, and that in others it was the enforced result of slipshod 



