684 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. | 15 Nov., 1919. 



The rainfall for the year to date is as follows : — 



Points. 

 January . . . . . . 55 



February . . . . . . 288 



March . . . . . . 536 



April . . . . . . 76 



May . . . . . . 146 



June . . . . . . 119 



July . . . . . . 134 



August . . . . . . 67 



September . . . . . . 91 



October . . . . . . 140 



Total . . . . 1,652 



The total rainfall for the months April to October inclusive, i.e., the 

 growing period of crops, was 773 points, which is much below the 

 average for many years past. 



The Coming Harvest. — Hay-cutting will be commenced immediately. 

 Grain crops, where long enough, will be cut with a binder and threshed 

 on account of the very high value of straw this season. 



The following areas promise fair returns : — 



200 acres of shandy hay (Algerian oats and Warden wheat). 



estimated return 30 cwt. per acre. 

 140 acres of oaten hay (Algerian oats), estimated return 1 ton 



per acre. 

 90 acres of barley (Oregon Cape), estimated return 18 bushels 



per acre. 

 220 acres of wheat varieties for distribution to faiiners as pure 



seed, estimated return 14 bushels per acre, in addition to 

 100 acres of Experimental wheat, oats, and barley crops. 



Total 750 



In addition to above crops, 60 acres have been seeded to rape, and 

 300 acres are under irrigation, sown Avith lucerne and grass mixtures. 



It has become very apparent that the dry season lasting till the 

 relief rain that fell on 21st and 22nd October has had a very disastrous 

 effect on the crops and the dry farming area. White heads can be 

 noticed throughout the entire areas, and the crops generally had no 

 opportunity of stooling, and are therefore thin as well as very short. 



The making of luc(!rne hay has been the first harvesting operation of 

 the season. During the month approximately 25 tons were harvested 

 from an area of 26 acres. The weather during the earlier part of the 

 month was very favorable for this work. 



Generally the first crop of lucerne is regarded as inferior in quality 

 on account of the presence of weeds and grass. This season, however, 

 a very clean sample of hay has been gathered from the first cut. 



