252 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



several severe hailstorms which marked about one-third of the 

 Sturmer's. Altogether no definite conclusions could be drawn as to the 

 effect on bitter pit of the various manures applied. It is anticipated 

 that the coming season will be favorable to this disease, and the 

 experiments will be repeated with some additions. 



In the reports of Mr. Sinclair on Victorian Fruit in London, as 

 recorded in the July Journal, the bitter pit was very much in 

 evidence. Consignment after consignment had numerous cases 

 affected, and such fruit was sold at less than half the ruling prices. 

 The varieties specially named were, Ribston Pippin, Cleopatra and 

 Bismarck. Numerous individual samples of bitter pit were sent in 

 for determination, and Cleopatra seems to be the worst in this respect. 

 Considering that this is a favourite apple for export, and brings the 

 highest prices, it is most important that growers should be able to 

 forward it free from this disease. Whatever checks the too rapid 

 growth of the fruit, and will enable it to mature slowly, is a factor in 

 the prevention of this disease. And to secure this result the land 

 should be deep drained, lime should be applied, and any other deficiency 

 in the soil made good with a suitable manure. 



Rust in Wheat. 

 The results of the year's experiments have shown, as already 

 recorded in the Journal for July, that Rerraf still maintains its 

 reputation as a rust-resisting wheat, and a yield of 48 bushels per 

 acre during the past season at Port Fairy, weighing (52 pounds to the 

 bushel, is a very satisfactory record. 



The milling quality, or the quality of the fiour it yields, is a very 

 important point, and while the Analytical Chemist to the Department 

 of Agriculture in Sydney states that it cannot be called a first-class 

 milling wheat, a local miller reports that it is excellent. During the 

 present season several farmers are growing it on a large scale, and 

 small samples have been sent out to different districts. In this way 

 its suitability to our varying condit'ions will be tested, and its ability 

 to withstand rust proved. 



It is sometimes made to appear as if no progress had been made 

 in dealing with the rust question, but the practical solution of it is 

 gradually being discovered by growing wheats that resist the rust 

 under severe test conditions, and are commercially valuable to the 

 farmer ; also in producing new strains of wheat by crossing, suited to 

 our conditions, as Mr. Farrer, of New South Wales, has so long been 

 successfully doing. 



Some time ago the late Sir J. B. Lawes, whose agricultural ex- 

 periments at Rothamsted are of world-wide fame, wrote to me pointing 

 out in what directions he considered it would be desirable to carry 

 out investigations in connection with rust, and he stated : ''I have no 

 doubt that if I grew wheat which had previously been grown in a 

 hotter and drier climate than that of England, I should have a crop 

 destroyed by rust. I have no faith in specifics ; you must try and 

 obtain wheats which will grow well in your climate. It will, of course. 



