696 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.fV. [Sept. 2, 1908. 



farm for a lifetime, and liaiiW it to posterity improved l)y his oceupaiicy. 

 Australian wheat-fai'ininif has passed tlie expei'imeiital sta^e. Facts have 

 been deduced which should assist materially those who ai"e inexperienced in 

 wheat-culture. Australian ])ractice has muiy asi^eots peculiarly its own, and 

 many old-world practices have to be mudilied or discarded if success is to be 

 achieved. Success depends largely upon the alylity of the farmer to interpret 

 underlyinjif principles aright, and apj)ly ihem to Fiis conditions. 



The following notes will tersely describe the principal points in wheat- 

 farming; modifications of such must be made to ap|)ly to varying conditions. 

 They are more strit^tly applicable to ai'e<s of light rainfalls, to which we must 

 look for the greatest expansion of tli(» wli(»at area. The attempts to grow 

 wheat in districts of unsuitable rainfall, upon soils not adapted to them, 

 unseasonable seedings, a want of knowledge respecting the peculiarities of 

 varieties, and cultural methods, all tend to i-educe the average vield per 

 acre. 



Climate. — Wheat will thrive unrler an extremely wide range of tenijiera- 

 tures. Rainfall is an important consideration, es2:)ecially as i-egards its dis- 

 tribution. Districts having copious summer rains and high temperatures 

 are unsuital)le on account of losses througli fungoid diseases, such as rust, 

 and difficulty in harvesting. Districts in which suitable rains fall during 

 autumn, winter, and spiing, with comparatively dry .summers, are the most 

 suitable. The dry summers allow of ch«ap methods of harvesting, and losses 

 from diseases and rains are not so frequent. The wheat .season requiring 

 rains is prictically from first of April till end of November. 



Soils. — Wheats prefer good sandy loams i-ather than rich alluvial deposits, 

 or heavy clays. Rich soils induce too much leaf and stem, which requirn: 

 more moisture than can usually be spared under Australian conditions; such 

 soils are more suital)le for the production of hay rather than grain. Light 

 virgin soils are extremely suitalile. The richer lands often give better results 

 if cropped a few years before putting under wheat. 



Flouyhing. — Hoih vary to such an extent that it is ditficull to jirescribe 

 any general method of treatment, and much nuist be left to the judgment of 

 the farmer. The depth to plough varies ccmsiderably. Tpon light shallow 

 virgin soils 4 inches may be fleep enough the tirst year. The fallowing year 

 it should be ploughed 1 inch deej)ei', and this continued ujitil '> inches is 

 reached. The turning up of too much of the sour subsoil in one operation 

 should always be avoided. The deepening of the mellow sweetened surface 

 should be aimed at. Seven to 1^ inches of such retains moisture better, and 

 allows of free root devehjpment. A crop should not be sown iniiiiediately 

 after deepening the soil l)y turning up an extra inch of subsoil ; such 

 deepening should be left foi- the fallowing period if fallowing is practised. A 

 good rule is to leave the unsweetened subsoil exposed to the weather at least 

 three juonths before sowing. Under no consideration should a crop be sown 

 late in the season u]ioii a soil so deepened. The layer into which the seed is 

 placed should be sweet and mellow to ensure a satisfactory early growth. 

 Lighter soils lacking vegetable matter must be deepened with caution, and 



