33° Journal of AgncuUurc. Y'lcior'ia. [lo June, 191: 



Attention will be directed to the former in considering the practice of fal- 

 lowing, whilst the latter aspect will receive special consideration in con- 

 sidering the question of crop rotation and soil fertilization. 



Wheat may be grown under three different systems of cropping — 



1. Continuous cropping with wheat. 



2. Wheat after bare fallow, 



3. Wheat in rotation with other crops. 

 We shall consider these seriatim. 



I. — Continuous Cropping. 



Continuous cropping with wheat is very general in countries where 

 methods of cultivation are extensive rather than intensive. It is, therefore, 

 very general in the Argentine, in parts of Canada, and the United States, 

 and it is not uncommon in Australia. 



In the early stages of a new country, lands are cheap, and even free; 

 capital and human labour comparatively scarce and dear. To suit these 

 circumstances, large areas are sown under pioneer conditions of culture 

 Large areas under crop and small average returns per acre are the rule. 

 As population increases and land values in the settled districts rise, 

 the margin of cultivation is gradually extended into new territory, 

 the large holdings in process of time become subdivided, and an era 

 of intensive culture in the more densely settled localities is gradually 

 ushered in. In these localities the individual areas under crop are small, 

 but the average yield is high, and the system of cultivation changes from 

 continuous cropping to a highly developed rotation, in which far more 

 labour and much better-directed labour is required. 



Such is the history of agriculture in every civilized country of the 

 world, and such will be the progress of agriculture in Victoria. 



However expedient and profitable it may be in a new agricultural 

 country where pioneer conditions prevail, the sowing of wheat year after 

 }ear on the same land is condemned, by both theory and practice. While 

 it may be said that continuous growing of wheat on the same land year 

 after year is not good practice, the results obtained in the Broadbalk field 

 at the Rothamsted Experiment Station show that it is possible. For 

 example, wheat has been grown continuously in the Broadbalk field for 

 over 60 years. The highest yield was obtained from Plot 8, viz., 

 37.1 bushels per acre; but in order to secure this result a liberal dressing 

 of nitrogenous phosphatic and potassic manures was applied each year. 



The next best result was on Plot 2, which gave 35.5 bushels per 

 acre; but to get this result 15.7 tons of farmyard manure per acre had 

 to be annually applied. 



The unmanured plot gave an average for 55 years of 12.9 bushels, 

 whilst the average of the last five years was but 10 bushels. While con- 

 tinuous cropping with wheat has been practised at Rothamsted for upwards 

 of 60 years for purely experimental purposes, it must not be supposed 

 that such practices could be followed with profit in the drier areas of this 

 State. 



In considering the results obtained at Rothamsted, it is necessary to 

 bear in mind that the average annual rainfall is not only heavy, but is 

 also well distributed throughout the year. Thus, for 51 years, the average 

 is 28.21 inches, of which the fall from January to March is 5.94 inches, 

 April- June, 6.47 inches; July-September, 7.76 inches; and October-De- 

 cember, 8.04 inches. Continuous cropping has been practised at Ro.se- 

 worthy College (South Australia) on seven d fferc^nt plots in the Permanent 



