U 1(1. AT CULTURE. 2 I I 



In'i'uiv the ground gets very firm, and if free from weeds, the tine barrow 



i •• used cheaply and wit h advantage. I f I be ground is " set " a cultivator 

 should be used, and it weedj the disc cultivator or skim plough. The one- 

 way disc cultivator has proved itself well adapted for economically working 

 fallowed land. The skim plough is also a suitable and effective implement 

 for the purpose. Some farmers favour the one-way disc cultivator, others 

 the spring-tooth cultivator or the ordinary tine harrow, bul much depends on 

 the class and condition of the land. 



If the fallow is dirty with weeds, it is useless to try to get them out with 

 the spring-tooth cultivator or the tine harrow. In this case the farmer must 

 resort to the one-way disc cultivator, which literally chops the weeds out of 

 the ground, at the same time leaving the surface in -a fine tilth. The skim 

 plough is the better instrument to use in soils that are likely to break up too 

 fine; for the farmer must ever remember that the finer the surface, the easier 

 it sets again after the first shower of rain, a further early working being 1 

 thus necessitated to prevent the rise of moisture to the surface. 



The spring-tooth cultivator allows the finer particles to sift through, leav- 

 ing the surface in a fairly cloddy or lumpy condition, but it should only be 

 used on a clean fallow where there are no weeds. 



Tine harrows may be used in the loose soils which are frequently found 

 in districts where the soil is of volcanic origin. The physical condition of 

 such soils will often permit even light harrowing to produce the essential 

 mulch. 



It will be seen that no hard-and-fast rule can be laid down as to which 

 implement should be used in working the fallow. The farmer must follow 

 his own judgment, being guided by the physical condition of the soil. 



While clean surfaces are a valuable factor in conserving moisture, it is not 

 forgotten that where sheep are combined with wheat-growing the weeds that 

 spring up on fallow land afford good feed, and often quite an abundance of it. 



Depth of the Mulch. 



Experiments carried out for a series of years at Wagga, Nyngan, and 

 Cowra experiment farms, have conclusively proved that nothing is gained by 

 middling too deep, and while it iz not practicable to set the cultivator so as 

 to cultivate exactly 2i or 3 inches deep, it may be laid down that any cultiva- 

 tion that is deep enough to destroy weed growth is the most suitable. 



Though a mulch should be reformed as soon as possible after its effective- 

 ness has been destroyed by rain, nothing will be gained by working the soil 

 before the surface has a crust on it. If worked before this stage is reached, 

 the implement teeth instead of stirring the soil cut through it like a knife, 

 and leave it in such a fine condition as to assist rather than retard evapora- 

 tion. 



The Seed-bed. 



As the result of the working which the land has received whilst being 

 fallowed, its condition at the time for the reception of the seed should be 

 ideal, especially if the final cultivation, just before seed-time, has been with 

 the skim plough to ensure that any young weed growth likely to interfere 

 with the welfare of the wheat has been effectually destroyed. As the resull 

 of such treatment the seed-bed will be clean, in good tilth, with the soil 

 immediately below the surface in that compact condition which induces 

 constant capillarity and admits of the free upward flow of the soil-water 

 from the subsoil, thus providing conditions favourable for ready germination 

 ami vigorous growth. 



