564 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Sept., 1919- 



.S^^ee;^.— Although, for a dry season, the farm is heavily stocked, the 

 flocks look well, mainly as a result of feeding off early-sown crop, winter 

 fodders, lucerne, and self-sown growth in the fields cropped last year 



Two trucks — 264 in all — Suffolk Cross lambs, of this season's drop, 

 averaged during the month 21&. per head. Two more truck loads are 

 now ready for market. Nine hundred lambs have been marked this 

 season from our cross-bred ewes, and the stud Border Leiceste.r and 

 Suffolk flocks are showing very good lambing percentages. 



For the past five years an average of 160 per cent, of lambs have 

 been marked from the Suffolk stud, which proved its great prolificacy 

 At the last Sheep Breeders* show, held late in July of this year, nine 

 prizes were secured by our Border Leicester stud. Besides securing 

 champion and reserve champion in the ewe classes, a two-toothed ram 

 from the farm was placed first and reserve champion against a large 

 section of rams of different ages. 



Reserves of Hay, "Werribee, 1919, 



Value of Lucerne as Winter Fodder. 

 The heavy carrying capacity of lucerne, under irrigation during 

 spring and summer, is generally recognised, but few stock owners realize 

 its value as a winter forage. At Werribee, lucerne appears to grow 

 quite as luxuriantly during a moderate winter as any of the winter- 

 growing cereals and leguminous crops. For the five months, April to 

 August, lucerne, if judiciously fed, will carry up to four ewes and their 

 lambs to the acre. Two hundred full-mouthed ewes were grazed 

 from 1st April to 31st August, 1918, in several fields of different sizes, 

 totalling 50 acres, and 180 fat lambs were reared during that period 

 This, reduced to money values, means: — 



180 fat lambs at 21s ... ... ... ... £189 



200 ewes, five months wool growth at is. per head 



per month ... ... ... ... • ■ 50 



£239 

 In addition to the lambs and the growth of the wool, the ewes were 

 fattened before 1st September, after the lambs were sold. Therefore, 

 the approximate gross return was £5 per acre. 



