166 



Jotirnal of Af/riculture, Victoria. [10 Makc^h, 1919. 



in Victoria. In 1917, the seed was sown in sliort stud rows, 4 link- 

 :ip;irt, and the results arc shown in the following' table: — 



TABLE No. 1. 



Viirii-ty. 



Height I Yield 



of of 



Fibre. Seed. 



Remarks. 



1 . Commercial seed flax 



(Selected for seed) 



2. Northern linseed 



Selection from 20/4 

 (Selection for fibre) 



inches oz. 



21 



18 



31 



10 

 11 



Plants very coarse and consideralily luiiiuOnd 



Plants medium coarse and slightl_y hranclied. 

 Quantity of see I much largar than tliat ob- 

 tained hom eithei' of the other plots 



Plants fine and tall witli little hranchine 



De-seeded samples of the plants mentioned in the foregoing tabk- 

 are illustrated in Plate No. 1. 



In 1918, seed from the plots of Northern Linseed and the Selection 

 from 20 4, was sown on 31st July with another sample of seed obtained 

 in Victoria as a check plot. The three varieties were sown through the 

 seed-box of an ordinary 17 hoe, grain, and fertilizer drill/ set at the 

 lowest speed for wheat (22 lbs. per acre). Each plot was sowii in twci 

 drills, 7 inches apart, and 5f chains long, with 28-in. spaces between 

 the plots — the sowing being made on one sweep of the drill, and super- 

 phosphate distributed at the rate of 120 lbs. per acre, at the same time. 

 A good germination was obtained, but the spring proved dry, and the 

 plots were therefore irrigated on 24th October, and again on 20th 

 xsTovember. The harvest results are recorded in the following table. 

 and samples of the plants are shown in Plate No. TT. 



TABLE TsTo. 11. 

 Flax Plots, 1918. 



With most crops, the clioice of a va'riety that will yield the maximimi 

 amount of produce under conditions in which it is grown, is an impor- 

 tant matter for consideration. Even with well-known varieties of wheal 

 raised in Australia, the difference in yield is often sufficient to cover 

 the rent of the land, and, in some cases, even means the difference between 

 profit or loss on the crop, A flax-grower desiring a fibre variety, would 

 be disappointed with a crop of tlie Northern Linseed type, and, con- 

 vtn-sely, one desiring a heavy yield of .seed would hv dissatisfied witli tlie 



