448 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[8 July, 1907. 



ones, principally because of climatic conditions, I have paid more attention 

 to producing strong-floured varieties with larger grain. My principal rea- 

 son for this is that when a small grain is shrivelled, even a little, its market 

 value seems to be very much reduced compared with that of a shrivelled 

 large-grained variety. 



The climatic conditions of the wheat growing areas of Victoria are more 

 favorable to the growth of the more starchy wheats, and the better the 

 season the greater appears to be the percentage of starch compared with 

 that of gluten. The Fife wheats such as Red Fife, White Fife, Stanley, 

 Preston, and Percy are all small-grained, aind include some of the best 

 Canadian strong-flour wheats. I have grown them for a few years but 

 cannot say that on any occasion they have proved profitable compared with 

 Purple Straw and the wheats of a similar nature. There was always too 

 great a loss in winnowing, and much more so in grading. This applies to 

 small-grained varieties in general. Where the climate is more equable 

 this trouble would not appear, except during rusty years, but until millers 

 pay for wheat according to quality and amount of gluten, the farmer will 

 grow the most prolific saleable varieties. Occasionally we hear of millers giving 

 threepence per bushel more for a strong-flour variety, but it is not generally 

 done, and in course of time when the special wheat is grown oi^er a larger 

 area, the price per bushel does not exceed that of a Purple Straw variety, 

 which often is more prolific than the lietter quality wheat. No doubt the 

 time will come when wheat will be sold in bulk lots on the test, and graded 

 according to its bread-making properties as regards quality, and quantity 

 of loaves made per sack of flour, or, in other woros the strength of its flour. 



I could scarcely close my notes without referring to the splendid work 

 of the late Mr. William Farrer, of New South Wales. He died, as he 

 wished, working to the last. He did an immense amount of patient and 

 profitable work, and inspired a number of others to study the wheat i)rob- 

 lem in its many aspects. My first association with him dates back fifteen 

 or sixteen years ago, since when I have had the pleasure of carrying out 

 numerous experiments in conjunction with him, some of the latest being in 

 connexion with the effort to produce bunt-resisting varieties of wheat. Mr. 

 Farrer 's great object was tO' produce a perfect wheat. I am endeavouring 

 to achieve the same object, yet I find that without a testing-mill much of 

 the work carried out at the College has to be confined to a narrower sphere 

 than I desired, and fewer complete results are available. 



