10 Feb., 1916.] Khill Crop and Fallow Competitions, 1915. 81 



a drought resister. Though resembling rye-grass, it is certainly not 

 English or Irish rye, and being perennial in habit differs from Italian 

 rye and Westernwolth. Samples have been submitted to the proper 

 authorities to have the variety placed. Stock are fond of it, and thrive 

 upon it, and as it apparently does well on sandy, black, and red soils 

 it should be a useful acquisition to the Wimmera. A further grass that 

 might be experimented with, especially on tiae black flats, is that known 

 as Subterranean Trefoil, a very small quantity of seed, 1 lb., being 

 sufficient per acre. 



Progress Noticeable. 



Though it is only three years since I had the honour of judging 

 these competitions, a noticeable degree of progression is apparent, and 

 this in spite of one year of the three being practically non-productive. 

 Many new homes have been built on up-to-date plans, telephones are 

 laid on to almost every farm of importance, new bores and dams have 

 been put down, nice gardens and orchards surround the houses, and, 

 generally speaking, the whole countryside looks prosperous and comfort- 

 able. Fresh land has been cleared and brought under cultivation, and 

 unmistakably better methods are being followed in cultivation and crop- 

 ping, largely as a result of the farm and crop competitions and the evi- 

 dence and information they have assisted in obtaining. Some of the new 

 homesteads have been laid out with a view to later on competing for the 

 Society's prizes. Early fallow with careful cultivation is more general; 

 crops in some cases have had all foreign heads culled by hand, and 

 larger quantities of manure are being used. Hints thrown out by pre- 

 vious judges have been acted upon with advantage, a case in point being 

 the making of an elevator for stack-building, made by Mr. J. Jordan, 

 of Woorak, for Mr. Peter Bone, on the lines suggested. This machine, 

 which is cheap, durable, and easily constructed, saves all the pitching 

 upward of sheaves above the 14-ft. level, saving thereby time and 

 labour. 



Though many dirty crops were seen in the 300 miles traversed during 

 the inspection of this year, those exhibited, and also some others, were 

 cleaner than was the case in former years, and here it miglit not be out 

 of place to say that many of the crops not entered for competition should 

 have been included, both from an individual point of view, and in the 

 general interest of the Society that is doing so much for the Wimmera. 

 That farm and crop comiDctitions tend to stimulate better methods and 

 practices cannot be denied, and it is a pity that other Societies do not 

 follow Nhill's example in this respect. 



Where Improvement is Possible. 



Probably the greatest improvement in farm practices in the future 

 will be made in a better system of rotation cropping, greater u.^^e of the 

 sub-artesian water, seed selection, and the use of increased quantities of 

 manure. There is room, too, for better cultivation methods in many 

 ■cases. The present rotation is to some extent wasteful, in that a year or 

 two is devoted to spelling the land when the growth of certain rotation 

 <Tops would bring about a quicker release of the essential plant foods in 

 the soil, at the s;ime time paying well for tlieir cost in labour, manure, 

 seed, (tc. The growth of rye and vetches, particularly on the sandy and 

 red soils, wouUl liave the effect of siipj)]ying liuinns. an oleniout tliesp 



