172 Journal of A r/ricidt lire, Victoria. [10 March, 1917. 



The Crops — 1st Section. 

 Bf-H Half uf Crop. 



Judging the crops on this occasion present some difficult problems, 

 inasmuch as the weather had prevented roads being cut round and 

 through the crops; travelling also had to be done by means of horses 

 and buggies, it being impossible to use motors, and the crops them- 

 selves were of such splendid character that '.t was difficult to dis- 

 criminate. In almost every exhibit portions of the crops shown were 

 simply magnificent, and it was only in taking them in the whole area 

 specified that some stood out above others. 



Mr. O. H. Lienert takes first prize in this section with a wonderful 

 crop of Yandilla King, "a crop worth going a long way to see," 

 splendidly headed, thick and well grown, clean and very true to type, 

 showing promise of an unusually heavy yield. There were 100 acres 

 of this variety, and also 40 acres of Federation almost equal in quality 

 to the first, the balance of his crop being excellent, with the exception 

 of about 30 acres which had suffered from too much water. 



Flag rust was noticeable fairly generally, but not in sufficient quan- 

 tity to do any damage. Mr. Lienert is to be congratulated on his 

 success, which is well deserved, all his work on the farm showing careful 

 forethought and thoroughness. 



Mr. G. Crouch, of Kaiiiva South, is again well up in this competi- 

 tion, coining second, a highly-creditable performance when his area 

 is taken into consideration (GOO acres). It is obviously of greater merit 

 to take a prize for the best half of such an area than for that of 200 

 or 300 acres, and under the circumstances Mr. Crouch has ,put up an 

 excellent performance, and should be well rewarded by his all-round 

 average which cannot fail to be very fine indeed. 



A portion of his crop is on land that has been under cultivation for 

 thirty-five years, subject to the usual Wimmera rotation. Formalin 

 pickle is preferred to bluestone on this farm, and seeding and manuring 

 at the rate of 50 lbs. per acre in each case. 



The bulk of the crop is Federation, but a nice crop of Common- 

 wealth was also in evidence. Mr. Crouch feeds off with sheep, and is a 

 firm believer in early summer fallow and May sowing. Crops of 

 College Eclipse and Gluyas were also seen on this farm, the former 

 growing rather too much straw, and the latter very weak in the straw, 

 and going down rather badly. On the whole Mr. Crouch prefers 

 Federation to any other variety so far experimented with. 



Mr. R. Blackwood, who comes third, is another farmer who promises 

 to take a leading part in these com,petitions. Though only a few years 

 in the district he is already showing a good example to others in lain 

 methods and results. 



Crops of Federation, Moira, Currawa, and Penny wheats were all 

 good ; both Moira and Currawa were, however, weak in the straw and 

 inclined to lodge; this was noticeable in other crops of the same varie- 

 ties, excepting in the case of Currawa on Mallee land, which looked 

 exceedingly well. 



Mr. Blackwood is a believer in harrowing crops, and uses a bushel 

 of seed per acre, with 60 lbs. of manure ; he also grades his seed, which 

 is a practice more farmers might indulge in with advantage. He ases 

 bluestone pickle at the rate of 2 lbs. to 10 gallons of water. 



