lo Mav. 191^.] W/n'dt and its Cultivation. 26^ 



which the wheat is required. Tlie farmer must select those part'cular 

 wlieats which prove the most favorable and profitable under his particular 

 conditions. The difference between the yields of two varieties of wheats 

 grown on the same farm, under absolutely identical conditions, is often 

 sufficient to more than pay the rent or interest on the land on which the 

 crop was grown. This has been frequently demonstrated in departmental 

 experiments, and indicates the prime importance of selected experim.ental 

 stations in each of the important districts of the State where, among other 

 lines of investigation, continuous and systematic tests of all app oved 

 varieties of cereals may be made in the interests of growers of that 

 district. 



In the drier districts, in normal seasons, the earlier varieties are 

 generally the most suitable, whilst in districts where the rainfall is heavy 

 and growing season more protracted late maturing wheats may be expected 

 to yield better results than early wheats. Some wheats of outstanding 

 excellence, like Federation, may do well in any district, but it rarely falls 

 to the lot of any variety to have such a wide range of usefulness. It is 

 a good maxim for the wheat-grower not to confine h'm.self to a single 

 variety of wheat. 



Fortunately, owing to the work of the late W. Farrer, of New South 

 Wales, and to the enterprise of private farmers like Mr. W. Marshall, 

 of Parkside, South Australia, there is a considerable number of good 

 wheats to choose from. A portion of every farm is usually set apart for 

 hay, and for this purpose it is well to grow some recognised hay varieties. 

 A good hay-wheat should retain its colour well, produce an abundance of 

 straw and flag, and should be sweet and palatable to stock. It should 

 be fairly solid in the straw, and preferably beardless. For purposes of 

 grain production the principal and essential requirement is prolificacy under 

 the conditions in which it is grown. It is, of course, highly desirable 

 that the grain should be of good milling quality, i.e., of good colour, high 

 flour strength, and satisfactory gluten content. It very frequently happens, 

 however, that the high quality wheats are shy vielders. Comeback and 

 Bobs, for example, stand out prominently among Australian wheats on 

 account of their high flour strength, but, unfortunately, they do not pro- 

 duce such heavy yields as varieties like Federation and Yandilla King. 

 Under conditions existing at present in Victoria the farmer has no alter- 

 native but to grow prolific wheats irrespective of quality. Indeed, it 

 would appear that the best he can hope for at pre.sent is f.a.q. pr'ces for 

 his product. Before high quality wheats can be popular and profitable in 

 this State — (i) The millers must be prepared to purchase high quality 

 wheats like Comeback and Bobs, at prices considerably in advance of 

 those ruling for f.a.q. wheat in order to give adequate encouragement to 

 the grower; (2) the wheat-breeder must produce varieties in which the high 

 quality of Comeback, and the prolificacv of Federation, will be combined. 



Among the numerous varieties now^ at the disposal of the farmer are the 

 following :-- 



Hay-ivlieats. — Baroota Wonder, Correll's Xo. 7. Firbank, Hugueno", 

 Majestic, Marshall's Xo. 3, Thew, Triumph. White Tuscan 

 and Zealand. 



Grain-ii'heats. — Bayah Bunyip, Dart's Imperial, Federation, Gluyas, 

 King's Early, Steinwedel, Marshall's X^o. 3, Yandilla King. 



Forage and Ensilage. — Medeah. Huguenot, Kubanka. 



K 2 



