WILLIAM J. FARRER. 23 



the recently discovered Mendelian principles. The results obtained in these purely 

 scientific experiments convinced Professor Biffen that the way lay open for him to solve 

 two of the problems of the English wheat-farmer the breeding of a rust-resistant wheat 

 and the combination within one variety of the two characters, yield and flour-strength. 

 At the time the latter problem was said to be impossible of achievement ; indeed it wai 

 believed by many that the English climate absolutely precluded the successful growing 

 of a high strength wheat in the country. 



The English millers, a number of leading farmers and landowners, and finally the 

 British Ministry of Agriculture, became interested in Professor Biffen's work, and thence 

 resulted the endowed Plant Breeding Institute, which the next generation of English 

 farmers will couple with Rothamsted P]xperiment Station. So far three varieties of 

 wheat have been bred, all of which to-day are largely and increasingly grown. The 

 application of modem science has achieved fine success, although wheat has been 

 constantly improved in England during the last century and a half. 



At this Institute it was my privilege to study, during a period of fourteen months, the 

 bearing of Mendelian science and modern genetics upon the problems of the plant- 

 breeder, and through him the problems of the farmer. As the Institute is connected 

 with the Cambridge University 1 took full advantage of the opportunity to study those 

 phases of botanical science and genetics upon which Professor Biffen has based his plant- 

 breeding methods. 



After the valuable experience at Cambridge the Farrer trustees gave me the 

 opportunity of .equally valuable experience in the United States ; and under the terms 

 of the scholarship I proceeded in October, 1920, to St. Paul, Minnesota, to commence 

 work at the Agricultural Experiment Station there. This station is maintained in 

 connection with tho Minnesota State University, and is tho leading wheat-V ee ding 

 centre in the United States. It was here that the so-called " Centgener " method of 

 selection was originated in 1892. Some pronounced success resulted from the intensive 

 selection adopted for several years ; but now there has come the realisation that when 

 definite problems have to be solved, the methods of cross-breeding adopted by Professor 

 Biffen and largely by our own breeder, Mr. Farrer, must be adopted. 



The Minnesota plant-breeders have their own local problems to meet. The most 

 important is that of rust-resistance. Results and data obtained there will in this 

 connection undoubtedly have a definite bearing upon the production of rust-resistant 

 varieties in Australia. 



A particularly interesting phase of my time at Minnesota was the study of the 

 organisation and general methods of agricultural investigation, education, and 

 propaganda in the United States. The average opinion of the man in the street,, be 

 he farmer or no, is that the immense sums of money spent by the Federal and State 

 authorities, and the independent Experiment Stations upon the development of 

 agricultural production, is entirely worth while. That opinion is based on the results 

 he sees and feels for himself. 



Although primarily concerned with wheat-breeding, the Farrer trustees, not 

 unmindful of the wide application of the plant-breeder's work, permitted me to spend 

 some time in Hawaii. There I investigated the work of the Plant-breeder, with such 

 tropical crops as sugar-cane. All research work in the Hawaiian Islands is done by an 

 institute maintained entirely by an association of sugar-planters whose interests are at 

 stake. These primary producers are satisfied to spend 50,000 per annum upon the 

 expert investigation of their problems. 



As one who knows the opinion held both in England and America concerning the 

 high standard of Farrer's work, and the value accruing through the cultivation of his 

 varieties, not only here, but increasingly in the United States and in India, I cannot 

 refrain from saying that Farrer deserves a nobler memorial than he has at present. 

 Were the world to know fully the facts of the case, they would think strangely of 

 Australia's gratitude to the man who made it possible for this country to be in 1898 

 a non-exporting wheat country, and in 1922 one of the controlling factors in the 

 European wheat market. 



A Farrer Plant-breeding Station in the heart of the main wheat belt, permanently 

 endowed, and controlled by a responsible public trust, should not, and need not, be 

 beyond realisation. As a national investment, it would be worth while. 



