THe JOUKNAb 



OF 



T^fie department of Mgricuffure 



OP 



VICTORIA. 



Vol. XIV. Part 2. 10th February, 1916. 



SEED WHEAT. 



VARIETIES FOR DISTRIBUTION AMONG FARMERS. 



A. E. V. Richardson, M.A., B.Sc, Agricultural Superintendent. 



Owing to the disastrous drought of 1914 and the consequent failure 

 of the crops, considerable difficulty will be experienced in securing for 

 the 1916 seeding wheat true to name and free from an admixture of 

 foreign varieties. The abnormal scarcity of seed last \q&.y resulted in 

 large areas being sown with seed of inferior quality, which in nonnal 

 years would have either been gristed or used for the feeding of stock. 



In view of this, farmers will be interested to know that graded seed 

 of some sixteen different varieties is available for distribution by the 

 Department of Agriculture. 



Importance of Good Seed. 



The importance of sowing and producing good seed is not sufficiently 

 appreciated by the average wheat-groAvor. On the majority of farms 

 the most that is done is to reserve the best grown and cleanest ])art of 

 the crop for next season's seed. This is a step in the right direction, 

 but is not .sufficient lo enable tlie grower to obtain the ma.ximnni yi(>lds 

 the soil and climate will peraiit. 



Valve of Clrading. — In a number of cases the process of preparing 

 the .seed is carried a stage further, and the whole of tlie seed is passed 

 through a grader, with the object of eliminating small, slirunk<Mi, as 

 well as inunature seed. Though it is generally admitted flint such treat- 

 ment is advantageous, a considerable pr()i)f>rtion of the wlicat-growcrs 

 fail to grade their seed each year. 



A typical illustration of the value of grading may be seen from the 

 re.sults obtained at the Wyuna State Farm. Four plots wore 80\m side 

 by side under identical treatment as regards manuring and cultivation. 

 One plot was sown witli imi-mal Fcnleration seed just as it came from the 



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