July 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette oj N.S.W. 467 



Wheat Experiments for Hay» 



Yanco Experiment Farm, 1919. 



E. FURBY, Experimentalist. 



Experiments carried out with wheat at this farm during 1919 were confined 

 to early, mid-season, and late plantings of several varieties, the following 

 coming under observation: — Zealand, Marshall's No. 3, Yandilla King; 

 Cleveland, Improved Steinwedel ; Thew and Firbank. 



Zealand, being considered the most suitable variety for hay under irriga- 

 tion, was again used as the check variety for each of the three plantings. 

 The ai-ea of each plot sown was fairly large, being one-fifth of an acre, which 

 area should tend to fnake the comparative weights much more accurate, 

 especially as the soil on this farm is most variable in texture and fertility. 



As there was a slight hitch in planting each section to date, owing to the 

 interference of rain while the ground was being prepared for sowing, the 

 three plantings should be regarded respectively as mid-season, late', and very 

 late. Otherwise the only alteration of the previous year's plan was the 

 substitution of Thew for Florence, and of Improved Steinwedel for Stein- 

 wedel, the replaced varieties being unprocurable. 



The Preparation of the Soil. 



The general uniformity of growth of the crop in each section was largely 

 due to the fact that a heavy crop of Grey field peas had been ploughed in 

 during the spring of 1918, which increased the nitrogen content evenly 

 throughout the paddock. A further deep ploughing was given after a fallow 

 of four months, the ground afterwards being worked down to a finer tilth 

 with a disc-cultivator to facilitate efticient grading. The latter operation 

 was carried out three times to ensure an even and thorough distribution of 

 water when irrigating. Although grading entails a large amount of work, 

 this is fully compensated for by the ease with which the ground irrigates 

 (less labour consequently being required), and also by a more uniform growth 

 of crop. Check banks to divide each variety were built during March, 

 approximately one-third of a chain apart. This was rather close, no doubt, 

 but here, too, with check banks at least half a chain apart, on ground which 

 is inclined to be uneven in its levels, the labour of construction is fully 

 justified, again for the reason that thorough irrigation is the outcome. 



In the case of the early and mid-season plantings, the usual practice on 

 this farm of irrigating the ground and cultivating immediately prior to 

 sowing was adopted. This was not possible in the case of the late planting, 

 as no irrigation water was available at the time. The practice of sowing 

 seed in a dry seed-bed and afterwards irrigating to germinate the seed is too 

 often attended with disaster, more particularly on the heavier classes of soil, 

 and cannot be too strongly condemned. 



