lo Oct., 1908.] Recent Developments in W Jieat Breeding. 



593 



RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN WHEAT BREEDING.* 



F . E. Lee, Agricultural Superintendent. 



It is somewhat singular that under the conditions which exist in Aus- 

 tralia, and Victoria in particular, the contribution of Australia to the 

 world's wheat supply is only about two per cent, of the amount annually 

 produced. There is, perhaps, no agricultural industry in Victoria which 

 directly engages a larger number of persons than the business of wheat 

 growing, and \et, according to the following figures of the Government 

 Statist, the average returns can only offer a moderate return of the capital 

 involved. 



Average Wheat Yield per Acre for Principal Countries of the 



World. 



Country. 



United Kingdom 

 ( ierinany . . . 

 Canada 

 France 

 Hungary ... 

 Austria 

 United States 



Yield per acre 

 in Busliels. 



30-85 

 28 '24 



1947 

 19' 22 



i7'S4 

 17-3 + 



.>paui 



Italy 



India 



Argentine . . . 



Victoria (1904-8) 



Russia 



Yield per acre 

 in Bushels. 



12-98 

 12-75 

 11-45 

 10-65 



10 - oi 



Average Whkat Yield Pek Acre in Victoria for Ten Y'^kaks. 



1900 ... 



1901 ... 



1902 ... 



1903 ... 



9 09 Ijushels 



7-04 // 

 8-85 „ 



6 - 9 I ir 



1-29 „ 



Accepting the above official figures, which show 

 yield per acre for the past lo seasons, as being accurate, we must reso- 

 lutely face the fact that the production of wheat in Victoria from a large 

 area can barely pay the expenses of sowing and harvesting. Regular 

 yieldsi of 5, 6 or 8 bagsi per acre are by no means uncommon in manv 

 districts, which goes to show that either the seasons must be held entirely 

 responsible for the low average yields, or else the methods of cultivation 

 in a number of cases are not up to the standard thev should be. 



Improvement in Cultivation Methods. 



Recognising that the difference between various systems of working 

 land cannot be demonstrated in a season or two, the Department some four 

 years ago instituted a series of 26 experimental fields, each of 10 acres, 

 embracing repre.sentative wheat growing districts, from the Western 

 Wimmera to the North-East. Upon these fields such important trials 

 as subsoiling, rotative cropping, and the effects of continuous use of 

 artificial manures, are being carefully noted from vear to year. Three 

 crops have been already harvested and a portion of the land is sown at 

 the present time. While yet too early to make authoritative announcement 

 on the subject, there are indications which point to the fact that a 

 deeper system of cultivation on stiff clav soil permits more prompt and 

 regular germination of seed, and at the same time, stimulates the yield 



* Paper read at the Sixth Convention of the Victorian Chamber of Agricullure, held June, 1908, at 

 Geelontf 



