GENERAL CONDITIONS IN NEW ZEALAND 53 
moisture in it from the previous season. Proof of 
this is not wanting; for experiments tried in Australia, 
at Rutherglen Viticultural College in Victoria afford 
the following interesting results :— 
TABLE XIII. 
Percentage of moisture on fallowed and non-fallowed land prior to 
seeding, Ist May, 1912. Rutherglen Viticultural College, Victoria :— 
Depth of Sample Fallowed Non-Fallowed| Difference 
Per cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. 
0 to 12 inches oie 7.62 3.12 4.50 
12 inches to 24 inches ie 16.37 10.52 5.85 
4 6 Cg, BBC, en 16.68 12.28 4.40 
86 45 7 48 is 21.26 19.68 1.58 
Average content of first 4 i. 15.48 11.68 4.08 
Hence assuming the weight of 1 acre of dry soil to be 
approximately 3,500,000 lbs., it follows that in the first 
4 feet of the Rutherglen fallow there were 571,200 Ibs. 
more water per acre than in the non-fallowed land; 7.e., 
an amount equal to approximately 24 inches of rainfall. 
A second great advantage from fallowing arises from 
the fact that it increases the supply of available plant 
food. While the land is lying in fallow during the 
summer months, many chemical and biological changes 
take place within the body of the soil, and result in the. 
liberation of plant food. Experience proves that there 
is a substantial increase in nitrates,* and there can be. 
little doubt that other important plant foods, particu- 
larly potash and phosphoric acid, are converted from 
unavailable to available forms. 
Thirdly, fallowing distributes the work on the farm 
evenly throughout the year; for it enables the wheat 
*For example, at Longernong in Victoria, on fallowed land, 
on 7th December, 1911, there was found to be 57°75 lbs. of 
nitrogen per acre present as nitrate in the first 5 feet. On 1st 
April, 1912, this amount had inereased to 105 Ibs. in the same 
volume of soil, 
