520 president's address — section G2. 



South Wales co-operating with South Australia in this matter and 

 working on lines arranged by the Section, we could then have 

 something reliable, truly Australian and bearing the hall-mark of 

 this Association on the question of diy-farming. A chemist, a 

 geologist, and the experimentalists of each State would make a 

 committee eminently qualified to deal with this subject, 



4. Soil Surveys. — America has instituted a system of soil sur- 

 veys, the envy of every progressive agricultural community. It is 

 generally admitted that a proper knowledge of the condition of the 

 soil is the first essential to successful production. The greatest 

 investigations of the past century were in connection with soils — 

 the chemical, then the physical, and lastly the biological conditions 

 receiving in their turn special attention. America has gone far 

 ahead of other countries in investigating the properties of the soils 

 of her agricultural areas and in mapping them out so as to show 

 those which are specially adapted to the growth of certain crops. 

 They have dealt largely with the chemical, the physical and the 

 geological condition of the soils. In other countries this work is 

 also being undertaken, though less extensively, and certainly less 

 thoroughly, and modifications of the American scheme have been 

 adopted, just to suit the special requirement of each particular case. 

 That work of this kind should be of value to the Australian producer 

 must be evident to all, and what is most needed before anything is 

 undertaken is an agreement among the States as to a definite 

 system, so that from the very commencement they may be working 

 on similar lines in this particular branch of work. I should like 

 to see some action taken by our section in the direction of ap- 

 pointing a committee of members to draw up a scheme upon which 

 a soil survey of our agricultural areas could be undertaken. 



In the short time at my disposal I cannot do more than just 

 mention some few of the other matters relating to agriculture, and 

 requiring attention, viz., the work of wheat improvement by 

 selection and cross-breeding. This work might well be done jointly 

 by the States, not, as at present, independently, where considerable 

 overlapping is going on. Investigation of such diseases as " dry 

 bible " — further work on red rust in wheat, and the raising of 

 varieties immune to its attack. The question of strength in flour, 

 and the fixing of a uniform method of determining the same ; the 

 process of nitrification under Australian conditions ; the arrange- 

 ment of a more uniform system of experimental work, and the 

 comparison and publication of results ; investigation into the 

 quality and composition of our surface and artesian waters, as 

 regards their suitability or other\vise for irrigation. These and 

 many others await the attention of the scientist. From this list it 

 must be evident that there is a very large field of work bearing on our 

 agricultural industry which sooner or later must be undertaken^ 

 and with results that can only be largely for the ultimate benefit 

 of our production. 



