WHEAT, AS A NEW SOUTH WALES PRODUCT. 433 



such facts as seem to support those notions, and ignoring others 

 which seem to tell in an opposite direction, but look fairly at both 

 sides of the question. Let your deductions follow your facts, not 

 precede them. Love your work, and have your heart in it. If 

 these few simple words of advice — which I offer in all humility 

 and all deference — be taken and acted upon, we may rely upon it 

 that Australasia will become, what to a certain extent she is 

 already, a niodel of statistical states. 



The following paper was read : — 



L— WHEAT, AS A NEW SOUTH WALES PRODUCT 

 NATURE OP THE GRAIN, AND REASONS WHY 

 IT IS FAILING AS A CROP, IN QUALITY AND 

 QUANTITY. 



By Angus Mackay, F.C.S., Instructor in Agriculture, Board 

 Technological Education, New South Wales. 



It is only the very necessity of the case which induces me to bring 

 this matter before the Association, and with the hope that more 

 than usual attention may follow to a matter of such importance 

 as the main bread supply grain of the country. 



A very brief reference to the nature of wheat may suffice for 

 such an assemblage as this. Of the origin of the grain very 

 little is known beyond the fact that it has been cultivated from 

 the very earliest times of which we have records, and in climates 

 very like that of Australia. There are different opinions held by 

 experts in botany concerning the number of varieties of wheat. 

 Some say there are seven, classed as : — 1. Ilyhernum, or Lammas ; 

 2. uEstimim, spring or summer wheat ; 3. Composituin, or 

 Egyptian ; 4. I'ta-gidum, or Turgid ; 5. Polonicum, or Polish ; 

 6. SpeltO; spelt wheat ; 7. Monococcum, or one-grained wheat. 

 Triticum is the generic name of all the family, and is common to 

 several of the grasses as well ; for, after all, our main food supply 

 comes from grass. Some authorities cut out several of the fore- 

 going as belonging to one or more of the others ; while there are 

 others, and they have some show of reason on their side as well, 

 who hold that all the family of wheat known up to this time, 

 have sprung from one source. There is no need, whatever, for 

 the object I have in view, to open discussion on these points. 

 cl 



