32 Journal of Agriculture. [8 Jan.. 1907. 



There are few farmers who have not at one time or other had to complain 

 of the bad quaHty of the seed obtainable, and in some instances the partial 

 failure of the crop can be traced to seed which is deteriorating. Speaking 

 generally, the failure of a crop can be traced to certain conditions viz., bad 

 cultivation, unsuitable preparation of the seed bed, time of .sowing, adverse 

 climatic conditions, and faulty seed. In many cases where the seed is at 

 fault experience has shown that the trouble and expense entailed could have 

 been avoided if the farmer had made a careful selection and examination 

 of his seed. It should be the aim of every grower to steadily improve his 

 seed, as the selection of a good sample, together with thorough cultivation, 

 will cause the ensuing crop to grow more regularly, withstand weather con- 

 ditions better, ripen more evenly, and yield a greater return of produce of 

 superior quality. In several cases when ,going thrO'Ugh the wheat crops, I 

 noticed .many of the ears were small, stunted, and punv — a sure sign that 

 the plant is on the down-grade or "running out." This can be remedied 

 only by selection, and I would advise wheat-growers to pay strict attention 

 to this, and not re-sow any grain from such a crop. The seed grader which 

 has come into more general use will do a great deal towards keeping up the 

 standard of our wheat, but there is plenty of room for seed raisers to hand 

 select small quantities from a growing crop, taking care to secure ears that 

 are thoroughly typical of the variety (not necessarily large ones), but those 

 that show symmetry, evenness, and compactness in their formation, and 

 contain a full plump grain. Other .attributes of the plant must be taken 

 into consideration when selecting, such as strong, upright straw and growth, 

 tillering propensities and liabilitv to "shake." Strength of straw is one 

 of the most important features, as in most of our wheat-growing districts 

 high winds prevail, and modern methods of harvesting make it desirable 

 that the straw be upright. Where large areas are under cultivation por- 

 tions have to remain unharvested until late in the season, and with strong 

 straw varieties the risks of " lodging " are lessened. To become a specialist 

 in growing seed wheat presents no difficulties that the ordinary farmer can- 

 not surmount ; but I would point out that any one undertaking this class of 

 work must be enthusiastic, and must personally supervise all operations 

 most carefulh-. so that everything produced will be a pure varietv and the 

 best of its kind. T would like to see some of our prominent voung farmers 

 take this matter up, and devote some of their time to selecting and raising 

 pure seed. Such labour would be well repaid by the demand that would 

 be created for seed of established merit. 



There is another point in raising seed wheat that should be of interest 

 to farmers, but which, so far, has been left to scientific experimenters, such 

 as Mr. Pye, of Dookie College. I refer to what is known as the 

 "strength" of wheat, which means the presence of gluten in sufficient 

 quantities and of the right kind ; experiments have proved that it is possible 

 to increase this constituent, and, therefore, raise the value of any variety of 

 wheat as a food-stuff. Another point that should be kept in view in these 

 competitions is the encouragement of farmers to put up a good marketable 

 product ; the tendency is to allow everything to run into the bags for sale, 

 and experience of sampling at the port of shipment leads me to say that a 

 great deal of what is sent forward could be greatly improved before leaving 

 the farm by careful grading, and if this were done farmers would be the 

 gainers through the enhanced price of the product. 



The wheat crops throughout the Tatura district are, this season, 

 extremely dirty, and in fact the whole of the Goulburn Vallev crops are 



