Variety Tests of Wheat, Oats and Barley. 527 



ripen, then Allora Spring, followed by Steinlee, Queen's -lubilee, 

 Rerraf, and Leak's. The yields are not yet available but will be 

 given later on. Rust was very prevalent and very severe, so that the 

 susceptibilities of the different varieties were thoroughly tested. 

 King's and Queen's Jubilee were badly rusted, and the others less 

 so. In November, when I examined Rerraf, there was a moderate 

 amount of rust on the Hag, and occasionally it was found on the stem. 

 Mr. Brittlebank, in reporting later on the prevalence of rust, states: — 

 " In regard to the rust-resisting powers of the above varieties, thei'e 

 can be no doubt as to Rerraf being placed first. Algerian oats were 

 almost destroyed this year by rust, being the first time since they 

 came into use as a farm-crop in this district, 14 years ago." 



New Breeds- 

 Thanks to the persistent efforts, skill, and enthusiasm of Mr. Wm. 

 Parrer, Wheat Experimentalist of New South Wales, the different 

 States have been put in possession of a number of valuable cross-bred 

 wheats which promise to suit our special conditions, giving larger 

 yields and better grain, combined with hardiness of constitution. 

 For a number of years past we have been favoui-ed by Mr. Farrer 

 with a selection of his most promising cross-breds, and have put them 

 to a severe test as far as their ri;st-resistance is concerned. 



The Gar ton Brothers, in England, have also been producing 

 cross-breds primarily adapted to the soil and climate of Britain, and 

 some of their best breeds have been imported by the Director of 

 Agriculture, in order to test how far they are suited to our conditions, 

 and to what extent they are an improvement upon the already 

 cultivated varieties. The work of the Garton Brothers has now 

 become well-known owing to its successful results, but what is not 

 so well known is the long years of patient toil and frequent failure 

 which marked their earliest attempts at " the marrying together, as 

 it were, of any variety of plant with another variety of the same 

 species, and thus producing progeny or new breeds from the co- 

 mingling of the plants." It was only after 20 years of patient 

 experimenting that the results were sufficiently definite to be placed 

 before the public in a practical shape. Our experience in the past 

 has been that cereals fitted for a climate like that of Bi^itain do not 

 take kindly to our sunny south, but it cannot fail to be interesting, 

 and possibly profitable, to test in different districts the suitability of 

 these new breeds, and compare them in their several characteristics 

 with those produced by Farrer, and others already acclimatized. 



New Era Wheat- 



Among the new breeds of Garton wheats tried here, the only one 

 that promises well is New Era, and even that is rather late and 

 backward, but it will be given a further trial. Its pedigree and 

 description are as follows, but it must be remembered that its 



