IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEATS. 533 



" You know I have long regarded the experimental work of the farms 

 as the most important, and when things have been set going I shall do all 

 I know to make this farm a success, and with Mr. Sutton as working co- 

 operator I shall be badly disappointed if the success of it is not distinct." 



In connection with the Cowra farm it was arranged that a small 

 farm at Coolabah, in the dry West Bogan district, about 400 miles 

 west of Sydney, should be devoted mainly to the testing of wheats 

 for semi-arid districts and for trials in various methods of ploughing, 

 cultivating soils, and conservation of soil moisture, the work being 

 conducted under Sutton's supervision, assisted by Farrer's advice. 

 At this farm a great deal of valuable information has been gained, 

 which may result in wheat-farming being carried on profitably 

 much further to the west than is at present supposed to be prac- 

 ticable. 



Farrer expected that the Durum or Macaroni wheats [Triticum 

 durum) might be found to succeed well at Coolabah. In an article 

 on Macaroni wheats, published November, 1903, he said : — 



" Bread wheats are already being grown in parts of New South Wales 

 which are almost certainly too dry to allow them to be profitable, . . . 

 while it is not improbable that if they (the farmers) change to macaroni 

 wheats they will come out all right." 



He quoted extensively from Mr. A. Carleton, Cerealist of the 

 Department of Agriculture, United States of America. 



•' Mr. Carleton insists,' he wrote, ' on the necessity of the soils 

 for macaroni wheats being of the character of the Chernozem soils of Russia 

 for the production of good grain. My experience with these wheats leads 

 me to doubt whether this is the case. I myself have been growing them 

 experimentally for fully 15 years, and have found that even here at Lambrigg 

 on quite shallow soils I can grow at least as good grain as any that I have 

 ever had sent to me from any other country, but in such cases I have always 

 dressed the soil, which is naturally exceedingly poor in nitrogen, with a 

 nitrogenous manure.' 



" The objection to the use of the grain of these wheats for bread arise? 

 mainly from the yellow coJour of the loaf. The preference for white bread 

 is of the character of a prejudice, or is a mere matter of taste. The yellowness 

 of the bread made from macaroni wheats probably comes from their greater 

 richness in gluten, and is in reality indicative of their superior nutritive 

 qualities." 



I may mention that the Durum wheats are in high favour at 

 the present time in the United States of America for growing in 

 dry country, where they are found to thrive admirably. According 

 to the Agricultural Year Book of 1905 the Durum wheats were 

 first introduced from East and South Russia in 1899. Next year 

 a considerable quantity of seed was imported, and in 1901 as much 

 as 50,000 bushels of Macaroni wheat were produced in the United 

 States. The production kept on increasing so much that in 1905 

 it was estimated that the yield was 20,000,000 bushels, and a con- 

 siderable portion of this found a satisfactory market in Europe. 

 The question of marketing that kind of wheat was settled. 



The last published Year Book (for 1909) shows that it is 

 estimated that the yield of Durum wheats that season would 



