294 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 May, 1916. 



It will be seen that over a two years • period a crop of wheat grown 

 after bare-fallow gave a gross return of £4 3s. lid. When grown in 

 rotation with barley, rye and vetches fed off the gross returns range 

 from £6 5s. 3d. to £6 9s. 9d. per acre — an increase over the bare- 

 fallowed plot of £2 Is. 4d. and £2 5s. lOd. per acre. 



The fodder crops were treated as catch crops, and the cost of cultiva- 

 tion, including seed and manure did not exceed 25s. per acre; conse- 

 quently the net profit by growing wheat in rotation with forages fed ofE 

 was, approximately, £1 per acre greater than growing wheat after bare- 

 fallow. 



The results are the more striking in that they include the drought 

 year of 1914. 



Precisely similar results were obtained at Rutherglen. In districts 

 similarly sitviated to Werribee, enjoying a rainfall of 20 inches or over, 

 the growing of wheat in rotation with forages fed off is likely to give 

 bigger net returns than by growing wheat after bare-fallow. This applies 

 particularly to the Western District wheat country. and portions of the 

 North-East and Gippsland. 



3. RATE OF SOWING AND TIME OF SEEDING TRIALS. 



During the j)ast year a series of tests were carried out to determine 

 the differences between early sowing and late sowing of early, midseason, 

 and late varieties. Marshall's N'o. 3, Yandilla King, Federation, King's 

 Early, and Gluyas wheats Avere sown in one batch on 16tlL April, 1915, 

 and a second batch on 5th June at the State Research Farm, Werribee. 

 The former date corresponds roughly to the beginning of the seeding in 

 normal seasons, and the latter date agrees approximately with the com- 

 pletion of seeding. The plots were sown on worn-out clay land. 



The results were as follows : — 



Early Sowing (16th April). 



Marshall's No. 

 Yandilla King 

 Federation 

 King's Early 

 Gluyas . . . 



24 

 21 

 19 

 18 



lbs. per acre. 

 ... 24 

 ... 32 

 ... 20 

 ... 20 

 ... 40 



Late Sowing (5fh June) 



Marshall's No. 3 

 Yandilla King ... 

 Federation 

 King's Early 

 Gluyas ... 



21 

 21 

 17 

 26 

 24 



4 

 52 

 20 

 24 

 48 



Raiiifttll during the Growing Period. 

 Early sown plots, 10.8 inches. 

 Late sown plots, 8.65 inches. 



It Avill be seen that the midseason and late maturing varieties, e.g., 

 Federation, Marshall's, and Yandilla King gave best results Avhen sown 

 early, the three early sown plots averaging 2 bushels 40 lbs. more per 

 acre" than the same varieties so-^vn late. On the other hand, the early 



