256 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 April, 191 i. 



Conclusion. — There appears to be an urgent need for more extended in- 

 vestigation into the diseases of wheat, especially Take-all. This line of 

 work is of more economic importance even than the manuring of the crop 

 and the improvement of varieties by cross-breeding and selection. 



THE IMPROVEMENT OF CEREALS. 



Some Suggestions for Farmers. 

 H. Pye, Principal, Dookie Agricultural College. 



During the last decade or so, scientific plant breeding has begun to 

 be appreciated by the ordinary farmer as something not to be ignored. 

 This appreciation is due to a recognition of the fact that the results of the- 

 work of plant breeding have a not inconsiderable effect on the financial 

 aspect of the farmer's business. Science has produced, and is producing,^ 

 plants suitable for each of the many classes of soils and for the ever- 

 varying climates of the habitable regions of the world. 



The specialist works under limitations and recognises the fact. The 

 mere fact that his work is usually confined to a circumscribed area con- 

 firms him in the opinion that he needs the assistance of the thoughtful and 

 observant agriculturist. 



A variety that succeeds in one soil may fail in another, even where 

 climatic influences are similar. Although the work of the specialist may 

 occupy too much of the farmer's time if he were to take it up to any 

 extent, still it is the duty of the latter to develop the yielding and other 

 economic factors of a variety that suits his conditions. He can do this by 

 close attention to selection, grading, and thorough tillage. To a limited 

 extent he may even venture on the work of cross-fertilizing plants, and 

 there is not the least doubt that in the future he will ; for the very sim- 

 plicity of the work, in many instances, will induce the educated, far- 

 seeing farmer to take up the work as a profitable and interesting hobby. 



How THE Farmer may Improve his Seed Wheat. 



It is noticeable that in every crop of wheat there are slight individual 

 differences among the plants. The variation may be in the quality of the 

 straw, in the tillering proclivities, in the length of the ripening period, 

 or in the development of the ear and flag respectively. These variations 

 are apparent in every crop, even (though to a more limited extent) in 

 crops produced from pedigreed seed in the production of which every care 

 has been taken. This is also apparent in plants derived from a single 

 mother plant and grown in rows, where the seed is sown several inches 

 apart in order to enable the experimenter to study the individual qualities 

 of each plant. 



As a rule, the farmer considers prolificacy to be the quality of the 

 greatest importance, and the ear, provided the other economic qualities are 

 present, is his main consideration. He selects from a tried variety those 

 ears in which the number of fertile florets is greatest, and sows the seed 

 from each plant in separate rows, the seed being from four to six inches 

 apart in the row, and the rows one to two feet apart. In order to accumu- 

 late the seed, the rows giving the best yields may be drilled in, but before 

 harvesting he should select several special plants and grow the seed from 

 each in the following season's stud plots. 



