THe JOURNAI9 



OF 



LIBRAR 



NBW Y05 



''botanic 



QaRDGJ 

 OP 



Y^e department of Mgncufture; 



VICTORIA. 



Vol. X. Part 9. loth September, 1912. 



SOME RESULTS IN FALLOWING LAND. 



By Joint W . Patcrsflii, B.Sc. FJi.D.. Experimentalist, and P. R. Scott, 

 C lie mi St for Agriculture . 



The most pressing demands of an ordinary crop are for water, phos- 

 phates, and nitrates. The importance of these arises from their comparative 

 scarcity in the soil. The deficiency of phosphates is most easily made good 

 by applying some phosphatic manure along with the seed. The deficiency 

 of water and nitrates can usually liest lie remedied bv some svstem of 

 fallowing the land. 



Scheme of Experiments. 



In order to fin<l how two systems of fallowing affected the water and 

 nitrate content of a soil, three plots were staked off on the farm of Sparro- 

 vale, Geelong, last September. The plots each measured lo by 5 yards, 

 and lay side by side with 2 yards space between them. The land had been 

 .sown down to Algerian oats at the end of June, and the crop was well 

 brairded in September, when the plots were laid off. The scheme of the 

 experiments was as follows : — ■ 



Plot A. — Dug over on 12th September, and the surface kept stirred from 

 1 6th October onwards. 



Plot B. — Dug over on 12th .September, and no further cultivation given. 



Plot C. — Oat crop left growing. 



The experiments continued until the 28th Februarv of the present year. 



Working Plan. 



The effect of fallowing and cropping upon the supply of water and 

 nitrates was determined by sampling the soil of each plot at intervals of 

 about six weeks. The samples were taken with a spade from a freshly 

 exposed surface in holes dug on the central line of each plot. One of u.s 

 was always pre.sent. They were forwarded, for analvsis in suitable bottles 

 the same day. The holes were filled in as soon as the samples had been 

 taken, and on any plot the next periodical sampling took place 2 yards 

 further along the central line of the plot. 



At the outset, each plot was sampled at six successive depths of 9 

 inches. 1^ to 4^ feet. Later on, it became apparent that the lower 

 subsoils varied so considerably in character that it was useless to continue 



10513. S 



