578 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [J'w/?/ 2, 1908. 



quantity may he i-cdiiccd to 10 lb. foi' the lii'.st Kowiiiir. In course of time 

 it will probably be found necessary to increase the (|uantity, and to supply a 

 fertiliser more closely approaching^ a complete manure. 



The practice of manuiiiiL; wlicat on the lines sliown by our tests to be the 

 most successful is now Ijeing extensively followed, and no farmer who has 

 once tested the value of the system will abandcm it for the old method, under 

 which wheat-growing was far less certain of suc(;ess. 



Our paddocks are rested occasionally by a sowing of rajie, which 2jr(n ides 

 pa?iture for sheep, besides which the rape is of valu(^ in opening up the 

 subsoil for succeeding crops. This practice is also valuable in helping to free 

 the land of weeds, which are also eaten off by the slieej). A partial rest is 

 also afforded by the cultivation of hay crops, which are cut while green, and 

 hefore the grain reaches a forward stage of develoj)ment 



One pafldock is being alternately used for the production of crops and 

 pasture, and the trials so far are showing excellent r(;sults in improving both 

 branches of fanning. 



With the use of fertilisers it has been shown that the yields of grain niav 

 be increased by 35 to 40 per cent, at a very moderate cost. It is necessary, 

 however, that the manure should be sown with the drill, as the young plants 

 receive benefit from it from the beginning of liie. The root system is 

 rendered more vigorous, and the plants are induced to feed at a greater depth, 

 thus utilising a greater ai-ea of soil for their sustenance than is the case 

 where the manure is sown on the surface or the crop is not fertilised. The 

 supply of moisture, also, is better at the greater depth. 



Top-dressing is unsatisfactory, as the roots are attracted to the surface, 

 and the crop suffers when their growth approaches maturity, or wlien adverse 

 conditions set in. 



At Wagga, manured crops usually ripen about a fortnight earlier than 

 those untreated, and most probably this feature will be found to have a very 

 important bearing on the rust problem. 



Treatment lor Smut. 



As a preventive of smut and bunt, we treat the seed with a 2 per cent. 

 (1 lb. to n gallons) solution of sulphate of coppei-, immersing the seed for not 

 more than four minutes. Should the scn^d, however, not be well filled, the 

 dipping should accordingly be of less duration, it being desirable not to 

 exceed two minutes. Some vai'ieties are more liable to the attacks of bunt 

 than others, and in such cases it has been found necessary to increase the 

 quantity of bluestone to 3 per cent. (1 lb to 3^ gallons). Ten gallons of 

 solution should treat about 10 bushels of seed. 



Our practice is to spread the seed on a floor to dry, after dipping, and to 

 sow it as soon as it is dry enough to pass through the seed di-ills, about twelve 

 hours usually being sufficient for the drying j)rocess. 



No more than sufficient for one day's sowing should be treated at once, as 

 it has been clearly proved that delay in sowing treated seed is responsible for 

 considerable loss of seed. 



