WILLIAM J. FARRER. 19 



FARRER WHEAT FOR DIFFERENT DISTRICTS. 



The following interesting notes on the general cultivation of Farrer wheats, 

 and especially their suitability for the varying climatic conditions prevailing 

 in different parts of the State, are kindly supplied by Mr. A. H. E. McDonald, 

 Chief Inspector, Department of Agriculture, who has a very intimate 

 knowledge of the districts in which wheat is grown : 



Farrer displayed remarkable versatility in his work. He recognised that the 

 characteristics of a variety limited its successful growth to certain localities, and 

 therefore set himself the task of breeding varieties adapted to the different conditions 

 which exist throughout the State. The magnitude of the task may be gauged from a 

 consideration of the differences which exist between such districts as Glen Innes on the 

 Northern Tablelands and Condobolin in the west, Wagga in the south and Inverell 

 in the north-west. Farrer, however, succeeded and his success may be measured from 

 the fact that to-day out of the twenty varieties recommended by the Department of 

 Agriculture as the best, twelve are the result of his labours. Furthermore, the most 

 suitable variety for any district is still a Farrer variety, no other varieties having 

 displaced them from their premier position. 



It is impossible to determine accurately the value of Farrer's work, yet it is 

 undoubtedly very great. The wheat-growing industry is of the utmost importance to 

 the State the 1920-21 harvest was worth over 21,000,000 and its magnitude is very 

 largely due to Farrer. The introduction of his varieties into general cultivation has 

 caused wheat-growing to be extended westwards over a vast belt of country which before 

 could not be cultivated, owing to the unsuitability of existing varieties. 



Farrer's wheats, such as Federation, Canberra, &c. , average at least 2 bushels per acre 

 more than other kinds, and as the average yield for the State is about 12 bushels, this 

 increase is of the utmost importance. It is really the margin of profit, and has no doubt 

 been the decisive factor in inducing farmers to bring more land under wheat. We have 

 come to accept as natural that wheat can be grown in certain districts, and yet if Farrer 

 varieties could be wiped out it would be foud that wheat-growing would be quite 

 unprofitable over a very great area in the districts. 



In the safer Riverina districts, Federation still remains favourite, and although it has 

 some drawbacks the principal being its susceptibility to rust its supremacy has never 

 really been challenged. Occasionally farmers appear to be swinging away from it. 

 This is usually after an abnormally wet year, but the return of normal seasons renew its 

 strong position. In 1919-20 the State purchased over 1,000,000 bushels of seed wheat, 

 the buying instructions being that all sound wheat of any variety was to be bought. 

 The quantity mentioned represented the principal portion of the harvest, and the 

 drought-resisting qualities of Federation, and also its popularity, are indicated by the 

 fact that 80 per cent, consisted of that variety. 



The value of Farrer's work in wheat-breeding becomes more apparent in the success 

 he achieved in breeding wheats suitable for the dry western districts. Until recent 

 yeajs Condobolin was regarded as being quite outside the wheat-.growing belt, but by the 

 use of Farrer's varieties, or of varieties of which he laid the foundations, wheat is now 

 successfully grown in large areas, and the acreage is rapidly increasing. In the south-west 

 and beyond Temora, in the districts represented by Wyalong, Ungarie, Lake Cargellico, 

 Barellan, Ardlethan, and Binya, great areas have been included in the wheat area, 

 principally by the use of Farrer varieties. In the western districts the extension of 

 wheat-growing has taken place in the districts surrounding Narromine, Gilgandra, 

 Bogan Gate, Peak Hill, Trundle, Tullamore, &c., while it is being pushed out beyond 

 Coonamble. 



In all these districts, while some local variations of soil or climate leads to a particular 

 variety being favoured, the same general characteristics are present in all varieties. 

 The low rainfall, with a mild winter, short spring, and early summer renders it impera- 

 tive that a variety should give a good yield with a small amount of moisture, and that 

 it shall come to maturity early. 



Farrer early in his work accurately estimated the qualities which were essential in 

 all these districts, and the most popular are such varieties as Canberra, Hard Federation, 

 and Florence, which possess these qualities in a marked degree. Hard Federation was 

 not actually raised by Farrer, but is a legacy of his work, being the result of skilful 

 selection by Pridham from Federation. 



Last year a number of agricultural associations conducted crop-growing competitions 

 in the western districts, and in every case except one the winning crop was a Farrer 

 variety. In the exception the winning crop was composed of two varieties, and one of 

 these was a Farrer variety. This is sufficient indication of the excellence of these 

 varieties and their popularity. 



