94 



Journal of Agriculture, Yictoria. [lo Feb., 1912. 



grower of the fuUire to raise wheat successfully on the more arid portions 

 of the Commonwealth. 



In the past, efforts have been mainly directed to the question of culti- 

 vation and the devising of methods to secure the maximum conservation of 

 soil moisture. ^\'hile great improvements have been effected in the system 

 of cultivation and manuring during the last decade, are we to assume 

 that further advance with respect to these practices is impossible? 



There is. however, another important factor to be considered, but this 

 is frequentlv ignored in discussions relating to the ultimate utilization of 

 our arid areas, viz., the influence of the plant. Very little attention has 

 been devo.ed to- the question of raising varieties of wheat which will thrive 



FIG. I. LE HUGUEI\C; 1 , h i"'--' "I- i.>^ i Imv M\:E. 



under extremely arid conditions, though, manifestly this is a problem 

 worthy of the best efforts of our wheat-breeders. Though the wheats, 

 which are at present popular with growers, seem to be well adapted to 

 the conditions under which thev are grown, there is not a single variety 

 w^hich can be safely described as free from defect. 



While a great deal may b? accomplished by scientific effort in the pro- 

 duction of new varieties suitable for our driest areas, it is not reasonable 

 to expect that more would be accomplished in a decade in this way than 

 by centuries of care by past geneiations of wheat-giowers under arid climes. 

 That is to sav. the production of drought-resistant varieties is likelv tc 



