698 



Agrlcultm^al Gazette of N.S.W. [Sept. 2, 1908. 



Selection of V(trieties.—M.any fanners sow wheat as though there was 

 only one variety ; such cannot be too strongly (leprecated. A study of 

 individual varieties is essential. Every farmer should know whether the 

 wheat he sows is an early, mid-season, or late variety ; whether it stools 

 freely or sparsely ; whether it has a procumbent or erect habit of gi'owth in 

 its early stages ; whether the straw is long' or short, weak oi- strong ; 

 whether it sheds or holds its grain ; whether it is a weak, medium, or strong 

 Hour \ariety ; whether suitable for dry conditions ; and its behavioui- to such 

 diseases as bunt or rust. 



Generally speaking, late maturing varieties should be sown first, raedium 

 varieties next, and early maturing ones last. It is not wise to have all the 

 eggs in one basket, and depend solely u])on one variety. Three well-selected 

 varieties can be made to fit in admirably. It is difficult to forecast any 



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i ■>► 







Wheal lodged, not led-oll. 



seasoiT. A season may prove suitable except during November, thus favouring 

 early maturing wheats. It may be ilry earlier in the spring, and suitable 

 during the early summer, and thus favour later maturing varieties. It may 

 prove exceptionally frosty with a wide range of temperatures, playing havoc 

 with early sown winter-proud varieties of erect habit of growth duiing the 

 early stages. Moist conditions, accompanied with high temperatures previous 

 to harvest, may induce rust ; under such conditions rust-escaping and rust- 

 resistant varieties would prove the best. Strong winds, accompanied by 

 heavy rains when the wheats are heading, may cause weak-strawed varieties 

 to lodge and be placed out of the reach of harvesting machinery. A farmer 

 may sow a wheat for hay, and at harvest find, to his disgust, that it is a 

 variety of very short straw. The choice of suitable varieties for a farmer's own 

 particular conditions calls foith his best powers of thought and observation. 



