15 :N'ov., 1919.] Farm Notes. 687 



has been fouBd that the SuiTolks are particularly vigorous at mating 

 time, and it will be interesting to see how the young Border Leicester 

 rams will compare with them in this respect under identical conditions. 

 This mating also affords a comparison in the two breeds as fat lamb 

 producers. 



Irrigation. 



Irrigation has been carried on during the past month, and the whole 

 of our established lucerne and sown grass areas have now received their 

 second watering. The results point to a heavy harvesting season. 



A field of 26 acres, which was irrigated in early August, was har- 

 vested during the month and yielded approximately 25 tons of clean, 

 good quality hay, and other fields, totalling 150 acres, will be cut within 

 a fortnight. 



Notes on Experimental Plots, Werribee Research Farm, 

 October, 1919. 



By George S. Gordon, Field Officer. 



The early sown crops are the most promising, and the October rain 

 will be of more use to late varieties than early ones; but, on the whole, 

 this year's tests will be instructive regarding moisture and drought- 

 resistance rather than the prolificacy of the crops under normal con- 

 ditions. 



Green Manurial Rotation Field. — The second " feed " on the rape, 

 barley, and oat plots in this yield has been completed, and the rain 

 will enable a further one to be obtained before the plots are summer 

 fallowed for next season's wheat crop. The peas plots are now being 

 fed off for the first time this season. In the wheat section for 1919 

 the crops following the " ploughed-in " crops of rape, barley, peas, and 

 rye and vetches are looking better than those on the plots where similar 

 forages were fed off in 1918. To some extent, this is probably due to 

 the later ploughing, and therefore somewhat inferior texture of the soil 

 on the " fed-off " plots. The best wheat plots at present appear to be 

 those following: — (1) Peas, (2) rape, and (3) bare fallow, while the 

 worst are those following barley. 



Permanent Manurial Field. — All the superphosphate dressed plots 

 in this field show out to advantage, and the growth varies according to 

 the amount of fertilizer which each received. The plots receiving the 

 heaviest dressings of superphosphate are the most forward. The crop 

 on the manured plot, besides being thin, short, and spindly, is only in 

 the " short-blade " stage of growth, while those that received superphos- 

 phate are not only in head, but most of the plants are well past the 

 flowering stage and show greatly increased growth. In addition to 

 the larger yields obtained from the fertilized plots owing to the plant 

 food supplied by the super, the earlier ripening is of value in many 

 districts, as it helps the heads to " fill " with plump grain before the 

 hot drying winds of summer draw off the moisture from both soil and 

 plants. Harvesting can also commence earlier. 



Variety {or " Seed ") and Selection Plots. — In common with the other 

 sections, these plots have suffered by the dry season, but the new cross- 

 bred wheats " Gallipoli " (Club x Yandilla King) and "Graham'" 



