10 Jan., 1917. J Milliu,/ ntuJ nnlnn;/ Trsfy of Whint for 1916. 53 



AGRICULTURAL ITEMS. 



It is a good deal easiei- to condemn a now idea than it is to coni- 

 ]irehend it. 



The old adage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, is 

 (louhly true in fhn hreodiiig bu.siness. 



The Chinese get hold of excellent idcMs. Thoy have an " order of the 

 excellent crop," the blue ribbon of Chinese agriculturists. 



During the coming winter farmers .should take great care of the 

 farmyai'd manure, and not allow its valuable constituents to drain away. 



Do not attempt to fatten pigs while they are running at large all 

 over the farm. To finish them properly they must be confined in a 

 relatively small pen or yard. 



The milk last drawn from an animal is always much richer than 

 that drawn first. This statement only applies to the fat: the other solids 

 remain fairly constant all through. 



As a general rule it is poor policy to raise a puny, under-sized calf 

 for dairy and breeding purposes. Only the best calves from the best 

 milking families should be kept. 



Wliat the Empire is asking for just now, and she never had greater 

 need to ask, is that every individual should do his bit. Farmers are 

 contributing their share, and will continue to do so. 



Care .should be taken during the winter months to supply the pigs 

 with an abundance of green feed of some kind. Pumpkins, mangels, or 

 sugar beets, pulped, are about the best available on the averajge farm. 



The meal of cocoanuts after the oil is extracted is being used in 

 England for feeding cattle with good results. It is said that these nuts 

 can be produced so cheaply that this meal may actually compete with 

 other feeds. 



MILLING AND BAKING TESTS OF F.A.Q. STANDARD 

 WHEATS FOR SEASON l*»ir,. 



By F. Rankin Scott, Chemist for Affriciilture, and F. G. B. Winslow, 



MiU'er. 

 This State, in common with other wheat-growing States in the Com- 

 monwealth of Australia, has generally a surplus of wheat for export. 

 As this sur])lus wheat is the product of a number of varieties grown 

 under different soil and climatic conditions, a standard of quality to 

 regulate the sale of this wheat is necessary. The F.A.Q. standard 

 wheat is the representative average of the wheats grown in each State. 

 This standard is yearly struck by the corn section of the Chamber of 

 Commerce in this State ; a somewhat similar method being adopted in 

 the other States. By determining the milling and baking qualities of 

 the standard wheats it is possible to glean information of some value 

 which can be used to compare the qualities exhibited by individual 

 varieties of wheat. With this end in view, samples of the F.A.Q. 

 wheats, representative of New South Wales, South Australia, Western 

 .Australa, and Victoria liave been tested. Before proceeding with an 

 analysis of the results of the tests applied, it may be opportune to make 

 some casual reference to wheat growing in this State. Although the 

 wheat-growing industry is gradually expanding, through the opening 



