126 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



In the past season of I90:i, at Port Fairy, it yielded 48 bushels per 

 acre. All the large plots were cut for ha}', with the exception of 

 Rerraf, and in view of this circumstance it may be interesting to put 

 on record the conditions under which this yield was obtained. It was 

 sown on 4th July, using about 70 lbs. of seed per acre. The land did 

 not get any manure direct, but tlie crop followed one of mangels, 

 which had yielded about 80 tons per acre. The mangels had been 

 manured with : — 



2 cwt. Florida superi)hosphate. 



1.^ cwt. nitrate of soda. 



1 cwt. salt. 



The ground, when ploughed, was turned to a depth of 5 inches, and 

 the seed sown broadcast and harrowed in. About the 20th December 

 it was dead ripe, and threshed easily with the steam thresher. The 

 field notes I made on it were that it had an upright growth, that it 

 stood about 4 feet high, had modei'ately stiff straw, held its grain well, 

 was early and stooled moderately. 



In experiments with rust-resisting wheats conducted by the De- 

 ])artment of Agriculture, South Australia, Rerraf was one of those 

 tried. It is noted as generally yielding well, is regarded as a good 

 milling wheat and a proved rust-resister, but is reputed as having the 

 one drawback, that it is exceptionally difficult to thresh. This latter 

 point was specially attended to at Port Fairy, and no difficulty was 

 experienced with the wheat grown there. Some of the ISouth Aus- 

 tralian growers also regard the straw as too fine for hay, but that is 

 not my experience, and is probably only a matter of individual opinion. 



The Milling Quality of Rerraf. 



With ]'egard to its milling qualit}', or rather the quality of the 

 flour it yields, Mr. Farrer stated that, in the only trial which has been 

 made of it, its flour-strength was better than that of the Purple 

 Straws in l)eiiig about a third or a fourth of the wa}' towards the 

 strong flour Fifes in flour-strength. 



The Director of Agriculture for New South Wales kindly 

 undertook to have a test of its milling qualities carried out, and 

 accordingly a samj)le of it, grown during the |>ast season at Port 

 Fairy was forwarded. The following leport was furnished by 

 Mr. F. B. Guthrie, F.C.S., Analytical Chemist to the Department : — 



Appearance of grain — Slightl}' translucent, plump, hard, 

 roundish. 



Weight in lbs. per busliel — 61j. 



Ease of milling — Somewhat difficult to mill. 



Percentage of mill products — 



Flour ... ... ... ... 71-3 



Pollard... ... ... ... 8-9 



Bran ... ... ... ... IDS 



