SCIENCE BULLETIN, No. 11. 



The question of improving the bread-making value of our wheats is of the 

 greatest importance in view of the expansion taking place in our wheat- 

 producing area and the increasing demand for Australian wheat. As the 

 immediate object of growing wheat is to convert it into flour to make 

 bread, it is important to keep its bread-making quality in mind if we are to 

 hold our own with bread-wheats in the world's markets. 



The following table gives the Commonwealth export of wheat and flour 

 for the past few years : 



COMMONWEALTH EXPORTS OF WHEAT AND FLOUE. 



Wheat is exported principally to Great Britain. The flour goes to South 

 Africa, Great Britain, Java, Portuguese East Africa, Philippine Islands, 

 and the Straits Settlements, in the order named. 



In 1901 the Commonwealth imported, of wheat 22,992 bushels, and of flour 

 the equivalent of 302,550 bushels, whereas in 1911 these figures were wheat 

 113 bushels only, and flour equivalent to 12,150 bushels. 



Put in another way, the total net exports of breadstuffs (wheat and flour 

 equivalent to wheat), which was 24,775,216 bushels in 1901, was 63,930,127 

 bushels in 1911. 



Not only is the volume of the export trade in breadstuffs thus increasing, 

 but the price of Australian wheat on the English market, though subject 

 to considerable fluctuation, is a steadily increasing quantity. The following 

 table gives the prices for wheat in London for the past ten years : 



Year. 



1904 



1905 

 1906 



Price in London 

 (quarter of 8 bushels). 



... 31 4 

 32 4 



31 



1907 33 8 



1908 37 7 



1909 41 5 



1910 37 2 



1911 34 10 



1912 38 5 



1013 39 6 



