II 



Sown early or late, as regards mildew. In one case the autumn- 

 sown wheat was more affected than that got in during February ; 

 while exactly the reverse is chronicled in another instance. As 

 will be seen later on in this Report, the Australian farmers find 

 that early-sown wheat is always much less liable to mildew 

 than that sown late. 



Varieties of Wheat. 



Upon the whole, it is shown that there is not much specific 

 difference in the mildew-resisting powers of various kinds of 

 wheat. Some reporters affirm that " Square-head" is less liable 

 to mildew than other varieties. Mr. Middleton, of Marton, 

 Yorkshire, remarks as follows : " there has been no mildew in 

 my wheat this season. I attribute this in a great measure 

 to the fact that I only sow the Square-head variety. I 

 observe on several farms where I have been valuing the crops 

 between the outgoing and incoming tenants that this variety 

 has suffered much less than others, some being damaged 

 fully one-half." On the other hand, Mr. Shepheard, of 

 Hunningham, notes " that the Square-head variety of 

 wheat is considered by many people to be particularly 

 subject to mildew." Another reporter endorses this statement. 

 " Rough chaff white " was in one instance much worse mil- 

 dewed than other sorts. Mr. Kimber's experience is that the 

 red wheats on his farm suffered most, and of these " Golden 

 Drop " was the worst. 



Mr. Rowland Wood, of Thrapston, makes this interesting 

 note as to varieties : " Twice when I have had Reedy Red wheat 

 and the old white Square-headed wheat, both have mildewed, 

 when adjoining fields of Browick Red wheat, drilled the same 

 time and the fields cultivated the same, have never blighted or 

 mildewed. I have frequently tried to grow the white chaff 

 Square-headed wheat, which has always blighted or mildewed, 

 and I have never had the old Browick Red either blighted or 

 mildewed. My land is woodland soil, and subsoil clay." 



Upon Mr. Clarke's farm, at Scopwick, near Lincoln, Swal- 

 low's Red mildews as little as any variety. Mr. Clarke adds : 

 " I have ten acres harvested this year from seed picked from 

 the best ears, and it was only attacked slightly. I have thrashed 

 it, and get four quarters per acre, and shall sow it this year all 

 round." 



" All red wheats," says Mr. Idiens, of Penkridge, " are less 

 liable to mildew than white. I never knew a case of mildew on 

 a variety known as the Old Red Lammas." 



Most interesting records are furnished by Mr. Alfred Smith, of 

 Rendlesham, upon this point. Mr. Smith sowed a field called 

 Park Hill, in October 1892, with two varieties of wheat. "This 

 field," he says, "in 1890 was cropped with peas, in 1891 with seeds, 

 fed by sheep till July, when half of it was ploughed and sowed 

 with mustard, which was fed off by sheep the latter part of Octo- 

 ber, the other part remaining seeds until October, when it was 



