<640 



Joiinial of Agriculture , Victoria. 



[lo Oct., 1912. 



1 10111 tlie [leaty and heavy clay soils it will he seen that even so moderate 

 n dressing as 5 cwt. proved beneficial. The action of lime on the peaty 

 soil of the drained swamp at Bunyip South, in 1905/6, was repeated in 

 a more emphatic rr.anner in the 1906/7 operations with an increase to 

 12 cwt. per acre over the unlimetl section. Its action was equally satisfac- 

 torv in the clay loam at Digger's Rest, also in the stiff, heavy clays at 

 ihe widely separated centres of Carrum and Turkeith, near Colac. The 

 soils at the two latter places being almost identical. 



The results of these experiments go to show that lime may be used 

 with advantage to the potato crop on the soils which contain abundance 

 of organic matter, such as the peaty soils of drained swamps and the heavy 

 clav land, whilst it mav do harm on the lighter soils. 



Digger's Re.st 

 Digger's Rest 

 Whittlesea 

 YMiTiun 

 Bu'iyi)! South 

 Bunyip South 

 Condah 



Carruiu 

 Turkeith 

 Illovva 

 Kilmore 



X. 



LIME FOR ORCHARDS. 



By P. J . Carmody, Chief Orchard Supervisor. 



When it is considered that the average crop of fruit requires more 

 plant food for its development than an average crop of wheat, and, more- 

 over, that the fruit demands the same soil constituents year after year, 

 the necessity for a sweet and favorable medium for root pasturage is 

 apparent; and as no other application is at all comparable to the in- 

 fluence of lime for this purpose, its frequent use is urgently required. 

 It is a matter of common observation that the fruit-buds of trees grown 

 on sour soils are of a weak or indefinite character, while the bark is harsh 

 and dry in appearance, and the growtii more or less stunted. Under 

 such conditions it is practically impossible to develop trees on the most 

 profitable lines without first correcting soil acidity bv the free use of lime 

 in the same manner as re(}uires to be adopted for other farm crops. 



In many parts of the State insufficient attention has been given to this 

 feature of soil management in the orchards. Particularly is this the 



