lo Dec. lyij.] Report on /.cannot ha Labour Colonv. 731 



managenicnl hciiio- ti-jmsferrod thereto, the present farm wouhl no 

 doubt be fouiitl innnensely siiitabh' for other purposes, and should 

 prove a valual)le asset to the State. The reclaiming of land, which 

 would not otherwise warrant the expenditure involved in clearing, 

 would soon answer a double purpose by providing employment for 

 the class of man the Colony caters for, while at the same time bringing 

 into a state of productiveness land which would otherwise be of little 

 use. Such land would not ])roduce any return for some time, and 

 the expenditure would at first liave to be met from a grant, which, as 

 the land becomes profitable, could be gradually reduced, as has been 

 done in the case of the Leongatha Lal)our Colony. 



The Trustees naturally feel proud of the achievement of tlu' farm 

 as a revenue producer, and the financial improvement generally which 

 has been manifested since it was handed over to them; whih' its 

 benefit as an educational factor in the district has been evidenced by 

 the large number of farmers and others interested in such pursuits 

 in this and other parts of the world who have from time to time 

 visited it and sought advice from the management regarding various 

 phases of the work. Requests have been made and granted for 

 demonstrations in fruit culture, while the Farm jManager was chosen 

 as a representative of the farmers on the Board of Control of the 

 Agricultural High School at Leongatha. 



The staff of the Labour Colony at present consists of ]\Iessrs. 

 J. J. Willoughby (farm manager), A. P. Prout (gardener), J. Dick 

 (dairyman), W. Wilson (general farm hand) ; and all of these have 

 carried out their duties with zeal and intelligence. The Trustees are 

 also indebted to their Secretary {"Sir. W. H. Crate) for the valuable 

 assistance he has at all times given in the performance of his duties. 



Farm Manager's Report. 



It will be observed that the rainfall for this season has been low 

 as compared with the previous year, being 24.72 inches as against 

 ■43.] G inches for 1911; a difference of 19.56 inches. 



Owing to the dry season and early autumn, the growth of crops 

 and grass has been below the average. These conditions proved 

 advantageous in one respect, as they facilitated flie work of ploughing 

 and preparing land for sowing. 



Nineteen acres, comprising different kinds of summer fodder crops, 

 were sown last year, including sorghum, millet, mangolds, and 

 pumpkins. Of these, only the firstnamed (8 acres) gave any returns, 

 the others being destroyed by the absence of rain and the prevalence 

 of late frosts. The sorghum Mas converted into silage, and produced 

 80 tons of that valual)le fodder. It is evident from the ahove that 

 under adverse conditions sorghum is a more valuable summer crop 

 in South Gippsland than either maize or millet. It is necessary, 

 however, to state that great care must be exercised in feeding to the 

 stock, as it has been known to cause mortality as a result of the 

 development of prussie acid at a certain stage of its growth. 



The potato crop was attacked Avith eel worm and moth, and partly 

 destroved. 



