Abstract

Australia is the leading wool producing country in the world. With less than one-sixth of the world's sheep population, she produces more than one quarter of the world's wool. It is often said that Australia is riding on the sheeps' back and that the nation is built on grass. Export figures (£ 42 millions or 50% of the total exports) vouchsafe for the accuracy of the former statement. How literally true the latter statement is, one can only understand from a visit to many of the sheep stations scattered right through the continent. Whether in the rich Camperdown district in Victoria or in the poorer Urriara and Tharwa of New South Wales, one cannot but be struck by the wonders that the clovers are doing for the farmer. in particular and the nation in general. Apart from its intrinsic value as a good feed, the clover plants are so many miniature fertiliser factories fixing atmospheric Nitrogen in the soil and adding fertility to the paddock in the same way as and at a lesser cost than, the factories. By a series of trials and experiments over a period of many many decades, various strains of clovers have been selected and adapted for the development of the pastoral industry. And in recent years a new strain of sub-clover which thrives in sub-tropical conditions, has been evolved by workers in Sydney University. Attempts are still being made to find suitable legumes for growth in the tropical areas.

Keywords: