850 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



REPORT OF THE VEGETABLE PATHOLOGIST. 



D. Mc Alpine. 



Each succeeding year witnesses the continuous expansion of the 

 work of this Branch, for while many investigations are being con- 

 tinued on the lines already laid down, fresh ground is constantly being 

 broken in the direction of increasing the variety of our products, 

 improving their quality and introducing the best and most recent 

 methods for combating disease. 



The details concerning many of these measures which tend to 

 increase production and diminish losses have already been given in 

 the Journal of the Department, so that it will only be necessary here 

 to state the principal results of the year's operations. 



I.— Experiments. 



These have principally been conducted in connection with the 

 various cereals and the grasses suitable for fodder, while such 

 important diseases as rust, take-all and smut in wheat, black spot 

 and bitter pit of the apple, have been specially dealt with. 



Variety Tests. 



Cereals. — A number of varieties of wheat, oats and malting barley, 

 including the Garton varieties, were selected for further trial as the 

 result of the previous season's tests. They were sown at Nagambie, 

 Rvatherglen, Leongatha and Port Fairy, the latter place being chosen 

 mainly to test their rust-resisting qualities. As a result several were 

 found sufficiently promising to be sown this season in one-acre plots, 

 and of the Garton varieties there were retained among others : — 

 New Era wheat, Abundance oat and a two-rowed and six-rowed 

 malting barley. 



Hops. — The Californian hop-sets imported last season and found 

 to be suited to our conditions were also tried at Leongatha. Samples 

 of the hops grown there have been submitted to a leading hop 

 merchant, and he reports : — " I find them a good sample and fine 

 strong quality hop. If picked at the proper time, that is when quite 

 ripe, we venture to say they would produce a first-class and saleable 

 sample of hops and a great improvement on the hops hitherto grown 

 from Victorian and other plants." 



Geasses foe Fouder. 



Some of our best native grasses are being cultivated and the seed 

 of the well-known wallaby and kangaroo grasses have been saved, so 

 that by means of well-selected and properly matured seed it may be 

 possible to improve them. 



