IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEATS. 535 



I do not think he ever found sufficient leisure to take this 

 matter in hand, but he foreshadowed what must eventually and 

 as certainly be brought about as probably the bulk-handling of 

 wheats will be. 



Federation was made to take the place of Steinwedel, a variety 

 selected in South Australia and valuable for yielding well in dry 

 districts, but having an objectionable habit of shelling out its 

 grain before harvest. 



" As Federation," said Mr. Farrer, " ripens at the same time as Stein- 

 wedel, and is much less rust liable and holds its grain satisfactorily, 

 it is possible that it may replace that variety with advantage as a producer 

 of grain, but the shortness of its straw unfits it for a hay-wheat." 



In an article, Milling Notes on the Lambrigg harvest, 1897-8, 

 by Messrs. Guthrie and Gurney {Agricultural Gazette, N.S.W., 

 September, 1899), the effects or probable effects of manuring on 

 the gluten of wheats are referred to thus : — 



" The most striking feature in the present batch of results is the high 

 percentage of gluten in the flour. This increase of gluten has been associated 

 with weaker flour-strength. Mr. Farrer says that the wheats were all manured 

 with sulphate of ammonia and bone-dust, and it is possible this excessively 

 nitrogenous manuring may have been responsible for the result." 



" Some of the differences are very striking, for instance in the Indian 

 grown wheats. Some of these were examined in 1896. They were grown 

 in India and imported. The difference between the glutens and strength 

 of these wheats and the same grain after being grown at Lambrigg is shown 

 in the following table : — 



Pitsi Ekdam 



Muzaffar Nagar (bald wheat) . . 

 ,, ,, (bearded wheat) 



Huzar 



In the same way the sample of Purple Straw is extraordinarily high in 

 gluten for this variety, previous samples which have been examined never 

 going above 9 or 10 per cent, and being usually between 8 and 9." 



The results of manuring experiments carried out by Mr. Guthrie 

 more recently at Wagga and Bathurst are interesting in connection 

 with the gluten contents of the wheats sown, 



" In the Wagga results 1901," wrote Mr. Guthrie, " the effect of the 

 ordinary dressing of sulphate of ammonia appears to be about nil both upon 

 the gluten content and the strength." 



" When this is combined with superphosphate and potash salts, however, 

 the benefit both in strength and gluten content is marked, and the effect 

 of increasing the sulphate of ammonia is very marked." 



" In 1902 harvest the same condition of things was noticeable. Dried 

 blood, though apparently without action on the gluten content, increases 

 the strength of flow in a striking manner. 



" At Bathurst, on the other hand, where nitrogenous manure had been 

 found to directly increase the yield, the results show that it has an appreciable 

 and favourable effect on the gluten. These notes are of a preliminary nature, 

 and are to be received with caution. " 



The experiments, which promised most valuable results, were 

 discontinued, unfortunately, for reasons which it is unnecessary 

 to refer to here. 



