30 WHEATGROWING IN AUSTRALIA. 



It is often found beneficial to harrow the growing crop until 

 it is 3 or 4 in. high. While the crop is growing the settler will 

 find plenty to do in clearing and improving his property, attending 

 to his sheep, and so on. If he is on shares he will find work for 

 his team and himself on other properties, at contract work, or on 

 the local roads. 



Harvest time comes well on in the summer, and for several 

 weeks everyone is busy on the farm. It is usual when putting in a 

 wheat crop to sow a portion for hay. Either a separate crop is 

 sown or a special variety suitable for hay is sown around the main 

 grain crop. This is cut with the reaper and binder just after the 

 wheat plant has flowered. The sheaves, which are tied by the 

 machine, are stooked in the paddock for ten or fourteen days until 

 dry enough to be carted in and stacked. The climate as a rule fine 

 weather prevails is favourable to haymaking, and a bright-coloured 

 nutritious hay is produced. The average yield is a ton to one ton 

 and a-half to the acre, but three, four, and even five ton crops are 

 taken off, but that is usually in a crop sown and cultivated specially 

 for hay with the intention of supplying the chaff market, which is 

 an industry in itself. The wheatfarmer, properly speaking, only 

 cuts what he will require for his own horses. A reaper and binder 

 is drawn by three horses, and will cut from 10 to 12 acres per 

 day. One man is required to drive the machine, and one or two 

 men to pick up and stook the sheaves. Some farmers cut their own 

 hay for chaff, working the machine either by hand or with horse- 

 works for turning the cutting wheel, but the majority have the hay 

 cut by contractors, who travel through the country with a special 

 plant for the purpose, charging $2.16 per ton for cutting. After 

 a portion round the edges of the crops has been cut for hay a strip 

 of land is ploughed around the crop in the stubble for the purpose 

 of making a break in case of fire, and thus enabling a fire that 

 might approach the crop being controlled on the bare ploughed 

 ground. 



The wheat crop is allowed to become dead ripe in the paddock, 

 as for stripping the ears must be dry and quite ripe. Once it is ready 

 to strip every effort is made to take the crop off as quickly as 

 possible, as it does not improve standing, for some of the grain is 

 likely to be shaken out by winds. The more modern wheats, how- 

 ever, hold the grain wonderfully against wind or hail. Varieties 

 of wheat are sown so they will mature at different times, which 

 extends the harvesting period, as one crop will be ready to harvest 

 before the other is quite ripe, and there is thus a useful rotation. 

 At harvesting time work usually starts in the paddock about 8 a.m., 



