Vol. XXXI. Part 8. AUGUST 2. 1920. 



Lid , V A iii y 



AgrieuUural Gazette of New South Wales. ^'''''' ^'OPi^ 



The Grain Wheats for Central Westerii' '"'''"^ 



Districts* 



^Farmers' Experiment Plots, 1909 to 1919, Summarised. 



J. E. SVME, Inspector of Agriculture. 



In the following tables an effort has been made to summarise the results on 

 the wheat plots in central-western districts for the last ten years. This 

 has been done by grouping the plots together in localities, and averaging all 

 the results obtained within the limits of each locality. For instance, in the 

 Molong district, farmers' experiment plots have been conducted in different 

 years at Cumnock, Manildra, Eurimbla, and Gregra ; and as the conditions 

 are approximately similar, and the results instructive to a considerable area 

 devoted to wheat growing, the yields of each variety tried during the ten 

 years have been brought together and averaged, in order that the best 

 variety for those conditions may be ascertained. In all. Federation has 

 been grown nine times, and other varieties differing numbers of times, and 

 by averaging the results from each variety some idea has been obtained of 

 the relative value of each for the Molong district. 



The method has been elaborated so as to cover five principal centres 

 in the central west, viz., Molong (already mentioned), Parkes (including 

 results obtained on plots at Parkes, Cookamidgera, Nelungaloo, Coradgery, 

 Alectown, and Tichborne), Wellington (including results obtained on plots 

 at Maryvale, Wellington, and Geurie), Gilgandra (including results obtained 

 on plots at Gilgandra, Collie, and Armatree), and Bogan Gate (including 

 I'esults obtained on plots at Bogan Gate, Botfield, TulJamore, Ootha, Gun- 

 ningbland, Condobolin, and Trundle). 



As all the wheats have not been grown every year, a standard wheat 

 (Federation) has been accepted as a basis of comparison. That popular 

 variety was more extensively grown than any other, and has done extremely 

 well in each of the five localities, so that it is a fair medium for comparison- 

 The method by which the tables are compiled should perhaps be explained. 

 In the Parkes district, for instance, Federation was grown fourteen times, 

 and its average on all plots was 22 bushels 2 lb. ; but Hard Federation was 

 only grown nine times, and its average of 2-3 bushels 8 lb. is not strictly 

 comparable with the Federation average. The method adopted has been 

 therefore to average the yields of Federation that were obtained contempor- 

 aneously with those of Hard Federation ; this enables the Hard Federation 

 average of 23 bushels 8 lb. to be compared with the average yield of 

 Federation on the .sa.n)e plots, viz., 22 bushels 33 lb. When the same is 

 done with Rymer (which was tried eight times), and with other varieties, 

 a basis is provided for the comparison of each variety, not only with 

 Federation, but with every other. Finally, the presentation of each variety, 



A. 



