496 .1 ournal of Agriculture, Victoria. [11 Aug., 1919. 



RXPERIMENT FARM, RITTHERGLEN, JUNE AND JULY. 



The farm manager, Mr. P. B. O'Keefe, iu his reports covering tht- 

 operations of the farm for June and July, states that the continued 

 shortage of the normal winter rains is causing owners of stock in the 

 district to look forward somewhat anxiously for a good downpour to 

 insure an early growth of spring grass, and to fill dams for use during 

 the summer. 



During June half the normal rainfall was recorded, viz., 150 points 

 In July only 66 points fell. There has been no " run off " into the 

 dams at the farm since last spring. The rain has, however, been 

 sufficient for the needs of the cereal crops, which look Well, except those 

 sown after the end of May. April-sown crops are very forward, and 

 have been fully utilized in supplementing the grazing available for 

 sheep on the grass and stubbles. The oat crops have been heavily fed off 

 with sheep, and most of the wheat crops have furnished light grazing. 



The paddock sown with a mixture of Dun peas and oats for silage is 

 making steady growth. The farm manager finds that when sown early 

 for a silage crop this variety of pea is not so suitable as Partridge, as it 

 is too forward before the winter sets in. For all other purposes the Dun 

 pea is preferred. 



Cultural Operations. 



The drilling of 4U acres to barley in early June concluded the sowing 

 of cereals on the farm, and brought the total area under crop to 520 

 acres. During July, however, a further 100 acres have been ploughed, 

 and is being seeded with Dwarf Essex rape at thei rate of 4 lbs. to the 

 acre with 90 lbs. of superphosphate. The paddock was worked down 

 b") a fine tilth and rolled with a heavy plain iron roller before and after 

 the drill. The seed was sown as shallowly as possible and through thp 

 manure run of the drill. 



It is found sound practice to refrain from mixing the seed with the 

 manure until the day of sowing , because of the danger of injuring the 

 germinating powers of the rape. The thorough consolidation of the 

 seed bed of land freshly ploughed and sown to small seeds such as 

 rape is regarded as important. After the final rolling a light lever 

 harrow with teeth set backwards was put over the field to leave the 

 .=rrface mulched 



At Rutherglen the spring-sown rape is found to do far better than 

 that sown in autumn. 



A paddock of 13 acres at the Black Dog Creek has been subsoiled 

 for lucerne to a depth of 14 inches. Two teams were used. The first of 

 two horses, with a single furrow plough, turned over the soil to 8 

 inches. The second team of four horses followed immediately behind 

 with a single-furrow plough from which the moaildboard had been 

 detached. The shear used was one from which the wing had been 

 broken off. During July a number of ornamental and shelter trees 

 have been planted. 



Stock. 



Twenty draught horses are kept in regular work, the balance are 

 out to grass. Those at work have been half clipped. 



