744 Journal of AgricuHure, Victoria. [lo Dec, 191 2. 



of the ground. If the crop is not allowed to become too dry before they 

 are turned in there is also very little waste after sheep. Broken-mouthed 

 sheep should not be turned on to maize. Amber cane, Imphee, 

 Farmer's Friend, are all treated for growth similarly to maize, 

 except that less seed is required, 8 to 10 lbs. being sufficient per acre. 

 They have a slight advantage over maize for winter fodder in that 

 they are late, and of use after frost has attacked them in the early 

 winter. They can also be cut, and stored dry, and fed through the 

 winter to stock, or made into silage. In regard to the last three crops 

 care must be taken to have good fences enclosing them, as they are liable 

 to cause hoven or bloat if stock gain access to them before the ripening 

 stage; if cut before ripe for fodder they should be allowed to wilt for 

 a few hours in the sun before feeding. For very early winter feed 

 skinless barley sown at the rate of 2 bushels per acre in early autumn 

 will be found of value. Bonanza or Clydesdale oats are also early 

 growers. They should be sown in the autumn while there is still warmth 

 in the ground to get good re.sults, and be well dressed with well-rotted 

 manure ploughed in before sowing. 



Adjuncts such as pumpkins, kale, mangels, turnips, can also be grown ; 

 the chief difficulty in regard to these root crops being the labour of 

 handling. Pumpkins are easily grown on good river bottoms, and a 

 cheap crop to produce; they are .sown 10 to 12 feet apart, and if a 

 few shovelfuls of good farm manure are deposited at each hill will be 

 found to give satisfactory returns. They are, however, not ideal food 

 for cows, as their mushy condition prevents the act of rumination, and 

 the seed is liable to pass into the second stomach and cause trouble. 



Nothing has been said about lucerne, and there can be no doubt 

 that as a fodder no better crop can be grown. The above system, if 

 followed where lucerne cannot be successfully grown or as an adjunct, 

 has proved a fine rotation. The addition of good oaten hay, chaff, and 

 bran will improve the food value of all the green fodder crops dealt 

 with, and a subdivision of at least four paddocks is necessary to pro- 

 perly carry out the system of rotation advocated. As each strip of 

 the crop is finally cut the plough should be put in and the land well 

 worked for the following crop ; any delay means loss of moisture, and 

 a prospect of weeds, and trouble. No mention is made as to the areas 

 of each crop required as that will depend on tiu scale of _ operations 

 of each individual, and the average yields of the crop.> will give a good 

 idea as to the area to be planted ; at the same time, a surplus would 

 be always advisable. The average cow in milk will consume 70 to 

 100 lbs. of green fodder daily; a sheep 20 to 30. Where dairying 

 is the main industry on the farm a silo is indispensable to make full 

 use of surplus fodder crops to the best advantage. 



Horses and ruminants digest about the same percentage of albuminoids 

 (protein) from a food, but the ruminants digest 10 per cent, more of the 

 carbohydrates and 20 per cent, more of the fibre. They also make a 

 better use of the fat. 



