WHEAT IMPROVEMENT IN AUSTRALIA. 



It must be remembered that Federation was only introduced to Victorian 

 farmers in 1904, and that it does not possess an attractive appearance in 

 the field. 



For the best rust-resistant wheats, for the best drought resisters, for the 

 most prolific and the best milling wheats, the farmer turns to the list of 

 Farrer wheats to find one suitable to his district. For a good description of 

 his work the above-mentioned paper of Mr. Button's * may be consulted, also 

 another read at the same meeting by Mr. W. S. Campbell,f late Director of 

 Agriculture in New South Wales, to which latter gentleman the State owes 

 the engagement of Mr. Farrer as Wheat Expert to the Department, a 

 recognition of his services that proved of incalculable benefit both to the 

 Department and to Mr. Farrer himself. 



Also, a paper read at the meeting of the British Association in Sydney, 

 1914, by Mr. J. T. Pridham, contains a good account of the results of 

 Farrer's work..}: 



It is gratifying to know that Farrer's work has received substantial 

 recognition in his own State at least. A fund has been subscribed by the 

 public, supplemented by a Government grant, to endow a Farrer Research 

 Scholarship. The first Farrer Research scholar (Mr. W. L. Waterhouse), 

 has completed an investigation, which has been published (Science Bulletin 

 No. 10) by the Department of Agriculture of New South Wales, under the 

 title "The Effect of Superphosphate on the Wheat Yield in New South 

 Wales." With the money now in hand it is hoped to enable the next Farrer 

 Research scholar to study wheat-breeding in one of the European or 

 American Universities. 



Other scholarships have been presented by the two leading Sydney news- 

 papers; one such is awarded annually at the Hawkesbury Agricultural 

 College. The exhibit of wheats competing at the Royal Agricultural 

 Society's Show are housed in a " Farrer Court," &c. 



Characteristics specially sought for in Improved Varieties. 



The specific points to which attention has been more particularly directed 

 in the production of improved types of wheat have been the following : 



1. Immunity against rust and other diseases. 



2. Prolificness. 



3. Drought resistance. 



4. Improvement of milling qualities. 



5. Creation of wheats for hay. 



6. Creation of wheats for different districts. 



* G. L. Sutton. " The Realisation of the Aims of William J. Farrer, Wheat- 

 breeder," Australasian Association for Advancement of Science, vol. XIII, p. 536i 



f W. S. Campbell." An Historical Sketch of Win. Farrer's Work, in connec^ 

 tioii with the Improvements in Wheat for Australian Conditions," iUd., vol. 

 XIII, p. 52. 



$J. T. Pridham." William Farrer's Work, Methods, and Success," British 

 Association for the Advancement of Science, Sydney meeting, August, 1914. 



