698 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [Oct. 2, 1920. 



The climate at Hawkesbury Agricultural CoUege is that of the central 

 coastal districts, rust resistance being of prime importance. Some 48 

 varieties of wheat, 17 of oats, 16 barleys and 7 ryes were sown in triplicate, 

 and wheat crossbreds occupy 63 plots. 



At Nyngan, representing the Western Plains, where a hay crop only is 

 looked for in average seasons, only very early maturing sorts are grown, and 

 20 varieties of wheat, 5 of oats, and 11 of barleys were sown. Six plots of 

 each variety were planted at intervals, as the soil is of a very patchy 

 character. 



Grafton is typical of the North Coast district, the plots being situated on 

 alluvial soil ; 42 varieties of wheat, 19 crossbred wheat strains, 13 oats, 

 1 2 barleys, and 8 ryes were sown in triplicate for fodder purposes. It is 

 proposed to go in more extensively for early oat varieties here. 



At Yanco a trial of 25 varieties of barley was sown for fodder and grain 

 under irrigation. 



The foregoing do not include the larger plots intended to supply pure 

 pedigreed seed of varieties raised for sale to farmers and for commercial 

 sowings. In the principal departmental farms this has been going on for 

 many years, the seed distributed being not only pure and graded, but of 

 high productivity and vitality, as a result of the careful jjedigree selection 

 practised. 



More Imported Rubbish. 



A REMARKABLE example of the unscrupulousness of certain seed merchants 

 has just come to light in the examination of a consignment of seed from 

 New Zealand, imported under tlie Federal quarantine regulations. The con- 

 signment was labelled " mixed grass seed," whereas the proportion of true 

 grasses was approximately 5 per cent. About 75 per cent, consisted of 

 Plantago lanceolata (lamb's tongue), 8 per cent, of clover seeds, and about 12 

 per cent, of a mixture of such bad weed seeds that any paddock would 

 certainly be ruined were this " mixed grass seed " sown in the condition in 

 which it was imported. 



The number of weed seeds in a pound of this mixture is almost staggering. 

 There were present 33,504 sorrel seeds {Rutnex acetosella), 192 Scirpus 

 lacustris, 256 wire weed (Polygonum aviculare\ 2,944 docks, 96 thistle 

 (Cardials lanceolatus) , 64 self-heal (Prunella vulgaris), 96 cat's ear (Hypo- 

 ch'fris radicata), 32 wild geranium (Geranium dissectum), and 736 Ammi 

 visnaga. 



The number of lamb's tongue seeds (Plantago lanceolatd,) in a pound of the 

 seed would probably run into six figures, but at present some farmers buy 

 this seed for pasture, although not i-ecommended by the Department. There 

 was also present a considerable amount of ergoi-^-a very bad fungus. 



The Commonwealth Government has power to suppress the importation 

 of such seed, unless it can be satisfactorily cleaned, but no State legislation 

 whatever exists to prevent the sale of such seed to farmers, once it arrives 

 at the merchant's warehouse. — E. Breakwell, Agrostologi^t. 



