10 May. 1919.] 



Dairying at liacchus Mar sit. 



299 



rare. About the sixth year the plants begin to thin out, and from 

 seven to ten years is now regarded as the commercial life of a lucerne 

 paddock, after which it requires replanting. In some paddocks, after 

 a few years' growth, prairie gi*ass makes its appearance, and in other 

 cases clover will grow with such vigour as to almost crowd out the 

 lucerne. As each paddock requires replanting, it is ploughed and 

 re-graded, and a crop of maize or millet, kc, is also usually taken off 

 before the land is finally prepared for the new sowing of lucerne. 

 Cultivation and manuring of the growing lucerne has, so far, not been 

 extensively practised. 



Drainage troubles — to any definite extent — have never afflicted tlie 

 irrigator in this favoured locality, these deep alluvial soils seeming 

 eminently adapted to the purpose for which they are being used. Even 

 if a paddock is accidentally flooded vnth feet of water, practically no 

 harm is caused either to the land or the lucerne, the surplus water being 

 carried off almost at once by the natural underground drainage. Those 

 who have observed the district exhibit at the Melbourne Itoyal Show 



Vallence's Corner. Main street, Bacchus Marsh. 



each year will know that Bacchus Marsh can make a very comprehensive 

 display of products; but it is principally by virtue of its dairying 

 industry that the steady progress and consistent prosperity, which lias 

 always distinguished the district, has been established. 



The first factory here to handle milk products of any kind was 

 opened for cheese making, about the year 1875, by the late Mr. G. G. 

 Peirce. This was situated at the lower, or south-east, end of the Marsh, 

 and about three miles from the business centre of the present township. 

 The plant was aftei*^^ards removed into the township, and, later on, one 

 of the first cream separators to arrive in the district was also installed 

 there, in order that butter as well as cheese might be manufactured. 

 After being carried on as a combined butter and cheese factory for a 

 few years, the building was destroyed by fire, and was not rebuilt, 

 Bacchus Marsh being left without a daii-y produce factory of any kind. 

 The making of the butter and cheese was done for some years on the 

 farms, and it was not until 1890 that the Bacchus Marsh Concentrated 

 Milk Company was formed. This company's first plant was erected 



