562 • ,/()urnal of Agriculture, Vidoria. 1 10 Sept., 1919. 



FARM NOTES FOR AUGUST, 1011). 



STATE RESEARCH FARM, WERRIBEE. 



//. ('. Wilson, MaiKK/cr. 



August has been a voiy dry month, and the di'y weather conditions 

 all through the winter liave nia(5& the season's prospects below the 

 average. The rainfall for the year to date totals 1,421 points, dis- 

 tributed as follows: — 



.Tamiary i>5 pbints 



I'Vhniaiy . . . . 288 ,, 



Maiili . . r).3G „ 



Apiil . • 7tJ ,, 



May 146 ,, 



June .. .. 119 „ 



July • .. 1:54 „ 



August . . . . . . 67 ,, 



1,421 „ 



The rain which fell during the five months, April to August inclu- 

 eive — when crops and grasses benefit — was 542 points, considerably 

 below the average for many years past. The heavy frosts and drying 

 winds experienced during August have had a very bad effect on botb 

 crops and pastures. 



Early sown crops are still holding out, but late sown ones are very 

 backward. The crops on well-worked fallow are particularly pro- 

 minent, and compare more than favorably with those sown on " green - 

 ploughed " land. 



Crops seeded on land worked up in February, after last season's 

 spring rape, show to advantage, but no other system of cropping will 

 give :'uch results as thcjse apparent on well-worked, early winter fallow. 



Cui/ruRAL Opeu.\tions. 

 The cultural operations for the month were as follows: — 



1. Fallowing 150 acres (The total now fallowed is now 350 



acres.) 



2. Harrowing early fallows. 



3. Rolling 300 acres of growing crop. (This' brings the total 



area rolled to 800 acres, and completes this work for the 

 season.) 



4. Excavation of main drain, 40 chains long, through new 



lucerne land. 



5. Filling, levelling, checking, and grading 100-acre field in 



preparation for lucerne seeding next month. 



6. Cultivating, levelling, and grading 10 acres of field, to be 



devoted to irrigation exjierinients. 



7. Renovation of old lucerne fields, cultivation with heavy fined 



cultivator, and top-dressing with 2 cwt. super. ])er acre 



FODUKR ResERVKS. 



The dry season has sliown the necessity for fodder reserves. Four 

 hundred and fifty tons of oaten and wheaten hay are still on hand, while 

 hioerne hay and silage reserves are amj^le for our needs until the new 

 crop is harvested. 



Forage crops grown for siieej) liave been a boon during the past 

 winter months, and by the grazing of these crops with the winter 



