8 Jan., 1907.] 



Tatura Farm Comfeiition. 



2,2> 



affected in this wav, owing to the wet season germinating wild oats, which 

 have lain in the ground awaiting favorable conditions. Fallow and ploughed 

 land are alike, and even some of the virgin land shows a sprinkling of wild 

 oats, thistles, &e. Generalh', the crops are heavy, with rust showing on 

 the blade, but little or none on the stem, not enough being present to 

 affect the development of the grain, except in isolated cases. The yields 

 will be above the average. 



The following table shows the scale of points, the prize-takers, and the 

 results in the order in which they are placed : — 



The scale of points is the same as that used last year, and again I have 

 paid particular attention to the second item, " Trueness of type and 

 character," for in this direction there is room for great improvement. Mr. 

 Martin, of Ardmona, who secured the first prize, had a very fine paddock 

 of the Purple Straw variety on red loamy chocolate land, which was cropped 

 with wheat last vear. Previous to that it had been sown down in lucerne, 

 and grazed for about ten years. This season it was ploughed about 45- 

 inches deep, harrowed twice, rolled, and the seed drilled at the rate of 

 4J5 lbs. per acre, together with 50 lbs. superphosphate, in the third week 

 of May. The crop was not eaten off during winter owing to the excep- 

 tionally wet state of the land. Like all the crops, wild oats showed up 

 here and there in white dried patches, but the crop was well headed and 

 fairly true to type, and I estimate the yield at fully six bags per acre. 

 Mr. ISIartin obtained his seed last year from Quat Quatta, N.S.W. Some very 

 fine and typical ears of the Purple Straw varietv were to be seen in the crop, 

 from which it would repav any one to make a selection and re-sow for a 

 future supply of seed. In wheat-growing Mr. Martin is an enthusiast, 

 and I hope he will use his utmost endeavours to improve the varieties he is 

 growing. 



The second prize went to Mr. Manning, Harston, who showed portion 

 of a 70-acre paddock, virgin land of a light loamv character, with a little 

 iionstone gravel, fallowed and worked during early summer. Again, the 

 variety was Purple Straw, sown with the drill at the rate of 40 lbs. seed 

 with 30 lbs. superphosphate. This crop was the only one I saw that was 

 free from wild oats, and gained highest points in that item, but lost heavily 

 in evenness, as it was inclined to be patchy. The type was only medium, 

 some of the ears were narrow, and showed only two rows of grain, and 

 stray ears of other varieties appeared up here and there. Competitors 



13554. B 



