WILLIAM J. FARRER. 



remembered that the salary was about the same as that then paid the 

 Botanist and Entomologist of the Department, and further that Farrer was 

 a gentleman of independent means, living on his own farm, and quite capable 

 of incurring (as he had done for ten years) any expenses involved in his 

 experimental work. Farrer himself was perfectly satisfied with the financial 

 part of the arrangement, and was fully alive to the enormous assistance he 

 would derive in carrying on his work by becoming a Departmental officer. 

 It meant that he could test out his creations on different farms repre- 

 sentative of the varying climatic conditions prevailing in the State, and so 

 produce strains suitable to different districts instead of confining himself to 

 his own district where very little wheat was grown. It meant that he could 

 avail himself of large areas at the various farms on which to grow his fixed 

 strains in quantities sufficient for distribution in a rery much shorter time 

 than he could possibly have done otherwise. For example, the first wheat, 

 Bobs (the cross of which was made the year he joined the Department) was 

 in cultivation by farmers on a large scale four or five years later. The same 

 applies to Comeback and Federation. All these wheats, as the names of two 

 of them would suggest, were named and distributed between 1900 and 1902. 

 There were, also, assistants at the different farms working under his 

 instructions, so that he was able to carry out experiments in many other 

 directions beside cross-breeding. 



Farrer's individuality was never sacrificed by this appointment. He was 

 able to carry out his work in his own way and without interference, and was 

 free from the handicap of routine- work which hampers most other scientific 

 workers in the Government service. The appointment was one of mutual 

 benefit to Farrer himself, to the Department, and to the farming community 

 in whose interests both were working. 



It may be of interest to quote in this place the Minister's original minute 

 to the Public Service Board recommending Farrer's appointment. This 

 minute indicates the lines of the general policy which the Department had in 

 view in making the appointment : 



DEPARTMENT OK MINES AND AGRICULTURE, SYDNEY. 



It is now recognised that this Colony offers perhaps better natural advantages for the 

 growth of wheat on an extensive scale than auy other part of Australia, and this 

 Department has been doing everything possible to foster and encourage the extension of 

 the area placed under this crop. Not ouly has it done this, but efforts have been made 

 to ensure as far as possible the cultivation of the very best classes of wheat, and those 

 best suited to the varying climates and soils being planted in the several divisions of the 

 Colony. In furtherance of this, the Department has for some years past conducted very 

 extensive experiments in the selection, crossing and growing of wheats, and so far it is 

 believed this has had a marked effect in improving the culture of this important cereal. 

 Hitherto the experiments have been carried on in a highly scientific and satisfactory 

 manner by Dr. Cobb, but his absence from the Colony makes it necessary that someone 

 else should be at once appointed to continue and enlarge upon the experiments that have 

 been made. This is still more necessary in view of the large areas suitable for wheat 

 culture in the western portion of our Colony where until recently it was held that it was 

 impossible to grow wheat at a profit. Recent developments, however, have shown that 

 our western lands are as well adapted as any other for growing this crop on a large 

 scale, and if operations be extended in that district it will enable this Colony in a very 

 few years to have a very large staple export in this article of commerce. 



It is important that we should experiment^ to ascertain what description of wheat is 

 the best rust-resistant and at the same time* possesses good milling qualities, as well as 

 ability to withstand the heat and sudden changes of temperature of many of our inland 

 districts, and also to prove what variety, obtained either by selection or crossing, will 

 best resist the droughts or partial droughts of our western interior. Investigations are 

 t 53581 B 



