490 J Qurnal of Agriculture, Victoria. [11 Arc;., lUlS* 



FARM NOTES FOll JULY, IDltl 



state Research Farm, Werribee. 



H. C. Wilson, Manager. 



During the month of July 134 points of rain have been recorded. 

 Heavy frosts were a featiire of the month. The weather generally has 

 been cold and windy, and has been severe on stock in unsheltered pad 

 docks. The plantations and wind-breaks planted six years ago are 

 beginning to afford some shelter for stock during the winter months. 



The season so far has been favorable for germination and growth of 

 winter cereals. Lvicerne fields, however, have not given the usual good 

 winter picking for stock, no doubt due to the low temperatures and 

 cutting winds experirnced during the winter. 



The warmer. weather and steady light showers in the latter half of 

 the month have given fresh life to stock. Crops, too, show signs of 

 general advancement. 



CuLTUKAL Operations. 

 The cultural operations for the month were as follows : — 

 Fallowing of 150 acres of land to depth of i\ inches. 

 Rolling 500 acres of growing crops. 

 Ploughing 6 inches, and cultivation of 100 acres of field to be- 



graded in preparation for hujerne seeding in September. 

 Excavation of mam drain thi^ough proposed new lucerne land. 

 Subsolling of 10-acre field to be devoted to irrigation invest! 



gation. 

 Renovation of old lucerne fields with heavy lime cultivation. 

 Completion of seeding of Oregon barley (100 acres). 



Stock. 



Horses. — Sixty working horses are being continually employed on 

 seasonable farm operations. They are maintaining good hard-working 

 condition when fed on shandy hay chalf (Warden wheat and Algerian 

 oat mixture) damped with beet sugar molasses. Nineteen three-year 

 old colts and fillies by the Clydesdale stallion. Major Oates, have been 

 recently broken, and are now taking their share in the heavy work of 

 the farm. Twenty-five farm mares are now showing in foal to the 

 Clydesdale stallion, Baron Wighton. Small quantities of lucerne chaff, 

 from 6 to 10 lbs. as a supplement to shandy chaff, has proved to be 

 both palatable and fattening to the horses, and this mixture gives better 

 results than either lucerne chaff or shandy chaff separately. 



Cattle. — The Red Polled herd, now 110 strong, are both maintaining 

 good condition and milking well. Ample supplies of winter fodder are on 

 hand. Chaffed lucerne and barley silage has been a boon to the dairy 

 herd during the cold winter months. The ^brick silos and fodder bins 

 adjacent to the milking sheds have saved much labour in handling. 

 Feeding is simplified when the herd is fed during milking time in the 

 byres. During the month eight calves were dropped, and six aged fat 

 cows were sold to the butcher. 



