48 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [lo Jan., 191: 



never be wholly achieved, simply because losses through evaporation and 

 percolation are inevitable. The farmer's object, hovi^ever, should be to 

 reduce the amount of loss by evaporation to a minimum, and this can be 

 done by providing that, at all times, the moisture reservoir of the subsoil 

 shall be covered with an adequate and loose soil mulch. 



It is not necessary that the surface should be harrowed down to the 

 consistency of an onion bed, for this may defeat the object in view, by 

 assisting rather than retarding capillary activity. The ideal should be 

 to have a fairly liberal surface mulch with the fine particles below and 

 clods of moderate size on the surface. This is achieved by stirring the 

 surface as often as is necessary. This means that the soil should be 

 stirred only when it becomes apparent that the loose surface mulch is in 

 danger of becoming consolidated after showers of rain. Many over- 

 zealous farmers often work the land too much, though this is far less 

 frequent an occurrence than those who do not put sufficient work into their 

 fallow. Hence, in judging the fallow, the following points have been 

 taken into consideration : — 



(a) The amount of moisture conserved in the soil and subsoil below the mulch. 

 {b) The depth, character, and efficiency of the mulch and its suitability for 

 the prevention of further losses of moisture by evaporation. 



[c) Freedom from weeds. 



[d) Regularity and evenness of the surface, for this is an indication of the 

 judgment displayed in working. 



[e) The size and condition of the surface particles and clods. 



The following table summarizes the result: — - 

 Points Awarded. 



Mr. Greenwood's fallow was in excellent condition„ and he displayed 

 great judgment in handling the patchy nature of the soil on his holding. 

 He gave his land a liberal soil mulch, and its effectiveness was demon- 

 strated by the amount of moisture conserved below. It was also very 

 free from weeds of any kind, regular and even in character, and the tracks 

 letft by the implements displayed system and method in working the 

 different blocks 



Messrs. Crouch and Reichelt also exhibited very creditable areas of 

 fallow. 



In conclusion, I would like to add that these competitions have been 

 productive of a vast amount of good. Not only have they attracted 

 general attention to the different aspects of rural life on some of our 

 best farms, but they have evidently had a most stimulating influence on 



