10 May, 1919.] " Wifnmcra '' Rye-Grass. 277 



methods. It is further argued that payable crops of wheat are regularly 

 grown in rotation with the grass wherever proper methods are followed. 



The following instances support the latter claim, and at the same time 

 give some idea of the power of the grass to re-establish itself. 



Mr. A. W. Milbourne, who states that his yields of wheat have averaged 

 between 7 and 8 bags sinoe the last drought, gives the following experi- 

 ences :— A paddock of 30 acres of rye-grass, which had been sown twelve 

 years previously, and always very closely grazed, was, after the 1914 

 drought, assumed to be run out. It was broken up, carefully worked to 

 destroy germinating rye-grass, and sown to wheat. A clean crop of ten 

 bags to the acre resulted. Next year the stubbles were sown to oats, 

 with the result that a heavy hay crop, three parts rye grass and one part 

 oats, was harvested. The rye-grass has grown vigorously ever since. 



Again, at Minyip, a much larger paddock of rye-grass than that 

 mentioned above was broken up and worked thoroughly after each rain, 

 to kill the young rye-grass, which came up thickly, and was sown 

 to wheat in 1916. The crop was clean, and nine bags to the 

 acre resulted. The stubbles were burnt early in the following 

 March, and 70 lbs. of oats drilled on the stubble land. The 

 rye-grass came strongly, and 1:^ tons of hay, of which nearly half was 

 rye-grass, were cut to the acre. ISText year the paddock was thrown out, 

 and the rye-grass again came strongly, yielding about 1 ton of hay to 

 the acre. This year the grass is coming as strongly as ever. 



Both Messrs. 'S . McGilp and H. Johnson, who possess land adjacent 

 to old-established rye-grass paddocks at Minyip, find that they can keep 

 the grass in cheek. Mr. Johnson has been able to keep the grass out of 

 his property altogether without much extra trouble. On this point Mr. 

 S. E. Schnaars, of Woorack West, via Nhill, who has had ten years' 

 experience with the grass, contributes the following: — • 



" The main objection raised is that it is hard to kill when cropping. 

 Certainly it is a very strong grower, and the land must be well fallowed ; 

 but if the plan I mention is carefully followed, a great deal of the diffi- 

 culty will be overcome. Feed the grass off well with sheep, fire the 

 paddock if the stubble is sufficient, and then lightly cultivate. This will 

 bury the remaining seed and cause it to germinate after rain. Then 

 work the fallow well while the grass is small. After ten years' experi- 

 ence, we are growing better crops of wheat than ever." 



This, indeed, sums up the methods of those who successfully cope 

 with the grass. It is most important to encourage germination of the 

 seed early, and to kill the plants before they have a firm hold. It is 

 stated that it is practically impossible to get a payable crop of wheat 

 on a fallow which has not been well worked, though Mr. McGilp quo-tes a 

 case on his farm at Minyip where a 100-acre paddock (red ground^ 

 which has been down to rye-grass for three years, was broken up, har- 

 rowed, and the grass got ahead of the sheep. The fallow was disc- 

 cultivated in J^ovember, and then harrowed. It was subsequently 

 worked well, and although he did not expect a payable crop, a yield of 

 eight bags per acre was obtained. 



Mr. MoDougal advocates the sowing of the wheat early. While this 

 would appear to allow the wheat to get an early start, yet there would 

 apparently be less opportunity for killing the germinating grass seed. 



