228 THE FA KM Kits' HANDBOOK. 



SECTION IV. 



Wheat Culture. 



The present important position of wheat-growing in New South Wales 



is the result of a development extending over the past thirty years. In 1891 

 the area devoted to this cereal was only one-third of a million acres; to-day 

 it is more than ten times that. In 1891 wheat occupied less than 40 per cent. 

 of all our cultivated lands; to-day it represents over 80 per cent, 



Upon the factors that have influenced this development it is impossible 

 to dwell here, hut two or three may be briefly indicated. 



In the first place, wheat is a staple article of food with all white peoples, 

 and the number of consumers is being steadily increased, not alone in 

 obedience to natural law, but by other races becoming eaters of bread. An 

 assured market thus awaits the grower, and for the most part at a payable 

 price. 



The comparative ease with which wheat can be grown has also influenced 

 the rapid extension of our wheat areas. To be sure, the day when the seed 

 Mas sown on land prepared in a rough and casual manner is passing, but 

 farmers know that — however much better they might do with improved agri- 

 cultural methods — crops of 10 to 12 bushels are reasonably assured under 

 average conditions at no greater outlay than is necessary for a single 

 ploughing, a couple of strokes of the harrows, and perhaps 56 lb. super- 

 phosphate. 



While the inducement and the opportunity have thus been presented, two 

 other factors of much significance have also operated; first, the production 

 of improved varieties, and, second, the evolution (for such it has largely 

 been) of better cultural methods and of better machinery. For the first of 

 these the late Mr. William Farrer was notably responsible. By the crossing 

 of numbers of varieties, he and his successors in this work produced wheats 

 of such yielding capacity under dry conditions as Federation, Hard Fede- 

 ration, Canberra, Bomen, Firbank, Florence, and Clarendon, thereby 

 enabling large areas hitherto considered outside the wheat belt to be brought 

 under cultivation. Improved farm methods and modern machinery have 

 done hardly less for this industry in New South Wales than the first. It 

 may be anticipated that the practice by which two years' rainfall can be 

 made to serve for the growth of one crop will enable still further extension 

 of our wheat-growing areas into dry districts, while considerable improve- 

 ments in the machinery used for sowing and harvesting the crop have acted 

 - -Mine set-off against the increasing rates of wages and prices of necessary 

 commodities. It is hoped that the following pages will induce growers to 

 employ only the best varieties and the best methods. 



* This section, originally compiled by Mr. H. Ross, now Manager of Wagga 

 Experiment Farm, has been revised by Mr. Ross, Mr. A. H. E. McDonald, Chief 

 Inspector of Agriculture, and several ether Held officers. 



