THE FAUMEUS HANDBOOK. 



Another most important point, and one which in the past lias been over- 

 looked, is- the power the clods have of protecting the seed of wild oats against 

 germination. Neither moisture nor air penetrates them readily, and in the 

 absence of either, germination will not take place. 



The roller breaks the clods, makes the soil fine, and leaves it firm at 

 the surface. Moisture rises freely to replace any lost by evaporation, aiid all 

 the seed in the ground is under favourable conditions. None of the loose 

 open spaces, which do so much towards preventing germination, are left in 

 the ground after the roller has bten over it. Briefly, the conditions are 

 made as nearly ideal as possible. 



Summarised, then, the land should be well ploughed, thoroughly harrowed, 

 and rolled at the right time. The right time is in May, June, or July. 

 After the roller is used the land should not be touched with any implement. 

 Provided the season is at all favourable, it will be found that this working 

 will sprout the seed. 



The plants then have to he destroyed. This can be accomplished either by 

 feeding-off with sheep or by ploughing. When either method is followed, 

 care must be taken that the plants do not get an opportunity to seed 



The oats make excellent feed for sheep, and their value in this respect 

 repass the cost of cultivation. It is perfectly safe to feed them oft' while 

 the cool weather lasts. Immediately warm weather begins to assert itself, 

 however, no time should be lost in ploughing the oats under. They produce 

 seed in a remarkably short space of time, and any hesitation may result in a 

 fresh supply being formed. 



If the oats are kept .closely eaten, it is a simple matter to destroy them 

 with the plough. Long, rank growth is somewhat difficult to cover, 

 but unless it is done the plants will go on growing and will ripen seed. 

 This is especially likely to be the case should the land be wet when it is 

 ploughed. Under smh conditions mouldboard ploughs do the most satisfac- 

 tory work, as the sod is well turned. The best time to destroy the oats is 

 when the land is dry. The cutting up of the plant, when soil moisture is 

 scarce, kills it at once. 



As it is still doubtful how deep wild oat seeds lie in the ground, care 

 should be taken, when cropping in the subsequent year, Dot to till deeper 

 than was done when ploughing to prepare for the germination of the oats. 

 If a deeper ploughing is given it is possible that fresh seed will be brought 

 to the surface and germinated there by the favourable conditions that 

 have been carefully devised to help the wheat seed. 



VARIETIES RECOMMENDED. 



A few pages back we made the statement that the production of improved 

 varieties has been one of the important factors in the development of the 

 wheat-growing industry in New South Wales, and that is no exaggeration 

 of the facts. A number of excellent varieties of wheat have been the result 

 of the cross-breeding and selection carried out by officers of the Department, 

 some of them (notably Federation and Canberra) adding in a very sub- 

 stantial degree to the average yield of grain, others to that of hay, and yet 

 others (like Thew) to the quantity of green feed that coastal dairy- farmers 

 can grow for the early spring. 



Beyond even those conspicuous contributions to potential and real wealth, 

 there are others (several of them, like Marshall's No. ?> and Yandilla King, 

 not the products of the Department, though recommended by it) that for 



