Aprils, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 233 



Wheat Plots at Narrominc^ J9J9. 



J. E. SYME, Inspector of Agriculture. 



Under the scheme formulated by the Narromine Graziers and Farmers' 

 Association, two areas of 20 acres were sown under the supervision of 

 the Department of Agriculture — one on the property of Mr. R. Grilfiths, 

 " Kabinga," Narromine, and the other on the property of Mr. Barry O'Neil, 

 Narromine. The land had already been fallowed when the Department 

 undertook supervision. 



The vai'ieties chosen for the experiment were Canberra and Hard Federa- 

 tion. It was intended to sow manure with both plots — 28 lb. of super- 

 phosphate on Mr. O'Neil's property, which is a heavy grey loam, and 40 lb. 

 at Kabinga, which is a sandy loam — but owing to a misunderstanding no 

 manure was available for the tirst-mentioned plot and it was sown without. 



The land at Kabinga was ploughed early in August, 1918, with a 

 mouldboard plough, worked with a spring-tooth early in October, lightly 

 harrowed duiing the second week in February, 1919, cultivated in the third 

 week in March and again before sowing, which took place on 15th and 16th 

 May, at the rate of 50 lb. seed with 40 lb. of superphosphate per acre. 

 Good rains fell after planting and the wheats grew on without a check, 

 there being plenty of moisture in the subsoil before planting. 



A couple of strips through the crops were left without manure, and the 

 result was remarkable, the growth of those strips being stunted and thin, 

 while on the manured portion the growth was good and uniform. The 

 Canberra, all except a small plot left for grain, was cut for hay on 7th 

 October, 1919. 



The Yields, 



The yield of hay was 23J cwt. to the acre, while the stripped portion 

 yielded 14 bushels of good grain to the acre with a bushel-weight of 62-^ lb. 

 The Hard Federation was harvested on 10th November, and yielded 15 

 bushels per acre, with a bushel-weight of 62^ lb. These wheats did not 

 stool much, but grew to a height of about 3 feet 6 inches, and headed well. 



The land at Mr. O'Neil's property was disc-ploughed about 5 inches in 

 August, 1918 ; disc-cultivated in January, 1919 ; scarified in February, and 

 harrowed in May after 20 points of rain. It was scarified on 14th Maiy 

 after 50 points of rain, sown on 16th and 17th May, and harvested 6th and, 

 7th November. 



The fallow held very little moisture at sowing time, and the crop made 

 very little headway at the start, although there was a good germination. 

 It finished up remarkably well, however, the Hard Federation yielding 

 5 bushels 53 lb., and the Canberra 5 bushels 33 lb. of very fair grain. 



