46 WHEATGROWING IN AUSTRALIA. 



plots are conducted by the Departments of Agriculture. Wheat- 

 breeding and pathological and bacteriological work is carried on, 

 and expert instructors work in the field assisting the farmer in 

 every possible way. Bulletins dealing with different phases of work 

 on the wheat farm, giving the results of experiments made, lists of 

 varieties of wheat to plant and when to plant them, are issued in 

 large numbers, and either given to the farmer free or sold at a 

 nominal price. Agricultural gazettes and journals are also issued 

 monthly, while topical information is made public through the 

 columns of the press, which in Australia devotes an unusual amount 

 of space regularly to rural topics.. 



In New South Wales wheat experiments are conducted at the 

 Cowra Experiment Farm, which is the headquarters, and at the 

 Hawkesbury Agricultural College, and Wagga, Bathurst, Glen 

 Innes, Nyngan, and Yanco Farms. At Nyngan tests are made with 

 a view to determining the suitability of the different varieties for 

 cultivation in dry areas. The work at each farm consists of: 

 Pedigree plots of the main varieties grown on the farms; cross- 

 breds in course of fixation for local conditions of soil and climate ; 

 a " stud variety trial," including all standard varieties, newly-intro- 

 duced wheats, and samples sent for identification ; " stud bulks" to 

 provide seed for planting the farm areas which supply seed wheat 

 for sale. 



Since 1897 the Government agricultural experts have been 

 endeavouring to determine the varieties of v/heats most suitable for 

 different districts, and to secure new types which return the best 

 milling results locally, and their efforts have been very successful. 

 In this connection the work of the late William Farrer, wheat 

 experimentalist of the Department of Agriculture, New South 

 Wales, has become world famous. His efforts were directed to the 

 production of new varieties of greater milling value and more rust- 

 resistant. Farrer's wheats, which rank among the most prolific 

 grain varieties, are largely cultivated in Australia. Farrer's work 

 is still carried on, and it has been proved that Australia can produce 

 strong white wheat equal in flour production to the old varieties, 

 and equal in strength to the famed standard Manitoba wheat. 

 Australian wheat is eagerly sought after by British millers. 



Farrer's work has been of direct and material value to the 

 wheatgrowers, and his memory is held high in Australia. Prior to 

 the introduction into the wheatgrowing areas of his crossbred 

 wheats, growers depended mostly upon Purple Straw varieties. 

 Hardly any varieties were known, and little attention was paid to 

 the advisability of sowing certain varieties either early or late in 



