10 June, 1912.] 



W/ieai and its Cultivation. 



?>2>Z 



In connexion with these tables, the following figures dealing with the 

 rainfall from ist July, 191 1. at ^utherglen and Longerenong will prove 

 interesting : — 



Table IV. — Monthly rainfall, Rutherglen and Longerenong, from 

 July, 191 1, till ist May, 1912. 



July. 1911 



August 



September 



October 



November. . 



December 



January, 1912 



February . . 



March 



April 



Total 



■92 



10-53 



{b) 



Comparing the extra water saved by fallowing (Tables II. and III.) 

 with rainfalls (Table IV.), it will be .seen that at both stations the water 

 saved formed a considerable percentage of the rainfall for the preceding 

 ten months, and this, too, although the fallowing commenced too late in 

 the season. As moLsture conservation is one of the principal objects 

 aimed at in bare fallowing, we shall now consider more closely the means 

 whereby this object may be attained. 



In considering how to store and make effective the maximum quantit}" 

 of moisture possible in the soil under any given rainfall, three points must 

 be kept in mind. 



{a) Every facility must be given to allow the moisture that_ falls to 

 penetrate the soil, and not run off the surface, collect in pools, 

 or evaporate. 

 Provision must be made to allow moisture to move freely within 

 the body of the soil and sub-soil in all directions, i.e., the soil 

 must be got into good capillary condition. 

 {c) No moisture must be allowed to evaporate from the surface by 

 injudicious or careless handling of the soil. 

 These points are, of course, simple enough, but the question is how to 

 make them materialize in practice. 



(a) So far as the penetration of moisture is concerned, it will 

 be apparent that any hard, compact, unbroken surface of soil is not cal 

 culated to admit moisture readily. In fact if heavy rains fall a large 

 proportion runs rapidly off the surface, collects in pools, and much becomes 

 lost by evaporation. On the other hand a loose broken surface allows 

 moisture to penetrate readily, and, by acting as a mulch, conserves what 

 ever moisture happens to be in the soil. Many farmers, realizing this, 

 are beginning fallowing operations early in autumn by discing the land to 

 catch the early rains as a preliminary to subsequent ploughing in June or 

 July. The important point, however, is that ploughing .should begin, 

 -more especially in a dry district, as soon as possible after seeding, so that 

 ready penetration is afforded to the heavy winter rains. 



{b) The next essential is to get the .soil in such condition as to enable 

 -the imprisoned moisture to move freely within the soil. It must be 

 ■remembered that the soil particles are solid bodies, devoid of pores, and. 



