10 Feb., 1916.] 



Wyuna State Farm. 



101 



roughly prepared excavations. Such provident activity was to be com- 

 mended, and the farmers would be rewarded in the first dry season they 

 experienced. On the Wyuna farm the germ of prudential activity was 

 abroad, and already 270 tons of chaffed ensilage had been made, 220 

 tons of hay cut, and the wheat and oat crop which would be thra&hed 

 would yield over 200 tons of straw — and this apart from the hay from 

 the lucerne area. Besides drawing attention to the necessity for 

 building up hay reserves, the drought had also led the community to 

 conserve its water resources. At Sugarloaf operations had already com- 

 menced, and the reservoir being constructed there would have a storage 

 capacity of 330,000 acre-feet of water. Waranga Basin was being 

 extended to impound 320,000 acre feet, and in addition other storages 

 were contemplated under the Murray Waters Agreement, and it was 

 anticipated that eventually there would be more than enough water to 

 irrigate 700,000 acres of land in these Northern districts. Finally, 

 the drought caused an almost total failure of the crop last year, 

 but the Government, in spite of the many difficulties confronting 



View of Oaten Hay Crop, Wyuna State Farm. 



the farmer, appealed to wheat-growers to sow a record acreage this year 

 in view of the likelihood of a good season after the drought and the cer- 

 tainty of good prices for wheat in the markets of the world. The farmers 

 responded magnificently in spite of the shortage of feed, and scarcity of 

 seed wheat and the losses of farm stock. They were aided by an advance 

 of £600,000 made by the Government, and as a result 4.100,000 acres of 

 wheat had been sown, i.e., 35 per cent, more wheat than the highest 

 previous records. Very favorable conditions for wheat had prevailed 

 this season, and it was anticipated that Australia's total crop would 

 exceed 150,000,000 bushels, thus giving a surplus of 120,000,000 bushels, 

 double the amount available for export in an ordinary year. At tlie 

 same time it was extremely difficult to secure freight owing to the 

 total disappearance of the German mercantile marine from the high 

 seas, and the eommandeering of British ships for tlie transport of men, 

 munitions, and foodstuffs. 



Mr. Richardson reviewed the work Anno in tlie field and ponltry 

 yards, and subsequently vi.sitor* inspected the farm. 



