10 June, 1919. J Reclamation of Waste Lands. 366 



RECLAMATIOX OF WASTE LANDS. 



By E. W. Murphy, Dairy Supervisor. 



The reclamation of heath lands is a subject of interest to the people 

 ■ of Portland. A fine object-lesson is to be gained by a visit to Mr. W. J. 

 Williamson's 400-acre holding, alongside the railway siding called 

 TIeathmere, 10 miles north of Portland. 



Persons familiar with waste heath lands would be greatly surprised 

 to see the crops of turnips, six. or seven of which are sometimes sufficient 

 to fill a flour sack, grown at Heathmere. Many tons of them have been 

 distributed throughout the State, and some have been sent as far as 

 Sydney. Notwithstanding their size, the texture and general good quality 

 is astonishing. The flavour is excellent, and they have not that bitter nip 

 common to many turnips. 



In clearing the heath country it is first rolled with a Mallee roller 

 pulled by six or eight horses, so that the scrub will wither sufficiently 

 for burning. After burning, the land is ploughed with double-furrow 

 stump-jump discs. It is then left for a number of months, and again 

 rolled to break down the clods and level off the first ploughing. A 

 second ploughing follows, which is done in a direction diagonally across 

 the first furrows. It has been found that the decay of the root fibres 

 is jtromoted if the soil be reasonably compressed, and that the decaying 

 matter has a good influence upon the growth of crops. This, according 

 to Lipman, is partly explained by the fact that cellulose is decomposed 

 by anaerobic organisms, and the exclusion of air thus favours decay of 

 the roots. In open heath soils oxidation goes on too quickly, and the 

 best class of organic matter becomes disintegrated and unavailable as 

 plant food, but the fibres are not affected in this way, and so continue in 

 evidence on the surface until they are covered and the soil compacted. 

 This gives rise to the suggestion that it is not advisable to leave the first 

 rou2;h ploughing long in the open sods. Such is good practice for heavy 

 lands, but the reverse is to be aimed at here. Tillage should proceed as 

 soon as practicable until the land is effectively compacted. Subsequently 

 it will be of the utmost importance for the settler to give special 

 attention to this phase of his work to prevent the too rapid oxidation of 

 humus, and loss by leaching out of the soil. 



On Mr. Williamson's farm the soil is a loamy sand. Some of the 

 higher levels are too sandy. A rotten ironstone outcrops in many places. 

 When the scrub and root fibres are overcome, the land is easily worked. 

 Rather less than 1 lb. of turnip seed, with 1 cwt. of superphosphate, is 

 sown to the acre. The average rainfall during the period of growth is 

 very favorable, but last season was very dry. The Purple Top' 

 Mammoth White does surprisingly well through the dry spells, and at 

 Portland it has this decided advantage over the swede — it is not troubled 

 by aphis. 



Last season 25 acres were sown with turnips, and theaccompanying 

 photograph will give some idea of the results. At the end of June 220 

 lambing ewes were put on a portion, about 8 acres, which was fenced off. 

 Later they were grazed on the balance of the crop, while another lot of 

 90 sheep was placed on the 8-acre plot. 



