716 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



received the moisture when required — just before it burst into ear.'^ 

 It is of course possible that in this instance the wheat was a rust- 

 resistant one, but the simpler explanation is that the rust did not pass 

 from one to the other. 



The all-important question still remains to be answered, how to 

 prevent or mitigate the effects of the rust ? As the result of numerous 

 field experiments continuously carried on for over twelve years with 

 hundreds of vai'ieties of wheat from all parts of the world, it has been 

 proved that no wheat is absolutely rust-proof, that is to say, there is 

 no wheat known which can be grown under conditions favourable to 

 the rust and yet remain entirely free from it. 



But the same experiments have shown that among a number of 

 varieties grown in a particular district, some will resist the rust more 

 than others, are able by their constitution or by their vigour of 

 growth or thickness of their cuticle, to resist the inroads of the rust 

 sufl&ciently to prevent it from seriously injuring the grain or perceptibly 

 reducing the yield, and such wheats are known as rust-resisting wheats. 



I am in the fortunate position to-day of being able to announce 

 that we have one such wheat known as Rerraf, which has been grown 

 in various parts of Victoria alongside of other wheats which have 

 been badly rusted and it has been able to withstand the rust. In the 

 Journal for March, 1904, there is a full account of this wheat given, 

 based on reports received from farmers themselves, so that it is not 

 necessary to say anything further here, but it will be instructive to 

 recall the history of this wheat, so that some among ray audience 

 may possibly succeed in producing another. It was originally a 

 " sport " obtained from Blount's Lambrigg by Mr. Farrer, 

 Wheat Experimentalist of New South Wales, and sent to me 

 among the wheats which he annually supplies for trial. Twenty 

 grains of it were first sown in the Single Seed Plots at Port Fairy, 

 this locality being chosen for testing rust-resistance, as the climate 

 there is particularly favourable to rust. After each plant was care- 

 fully examined as to its vigour of growth and freedom from disease, 

 the best ears were selected from the best plants, and in 1900, \\ acres 

 were planted, which yielded at the rate of 31^ bushels per acre. In 

 1901 it yielded 40 bushels per acre, and in 1902 it reached 48 bushels 

 per acre. This was an exceptionally good yield, and although the 

 land did not get any manure direct, the crop followed mangels which 

 had been well manured. 



But the mere selection of seed from rust-resistant plants will not 

 ensure the continuance of this quality, for there is a tendency after 

 some years to deteriorate, owing to the continual in and in breeding 

 which occurs in nature. Even with crossbred plants the stock 

 requires to be regenerated in order to maintain the original 

 standard. This work of crossing and breeding rust-resistant wheats 

 has for a number of years been carried on with great success by 

 Mr. Farrer for the whole of the States, and he is not only improving 

 the wheats but at the same time adapting them to the peculiar 

 conditions which prevail in Australia. 



