22 



growing colony has been estimated at 1,500,0007. for one year, 

 and that the total loss to Australia is not far short of 2,000,000 /. 

 sterling, it can easily be seen that the subject \ve have to discuss 

 is one of national importance." 



As a preliminary to these Conferences a circular of inquiries 

 was sent to numerous farmers in each colony. Many replies 

 were received, but, as was pointed out in 1892, by Dr. Cobb, a 

 delegate from New South Wales, " The sending out of questions 

 has been rather unproductive. If the Conference does nothing 

 but propose a continuance of this plan of elucidating information 

 from the farmers, any further meeting would be without practi- 

 cal result." It was stated by the President at this Conference 

 that experiments were being regularly conducted at the Agricul- 

 tural College in South Australia, thirty miles from Adelaide, and 

 in various parts of the same colony, six experimental plots of 40 

 acres each had been established by the Government for the 

 purpose of making experiments as to rust in different climatic 

 conditions. 



The conclusions of the Conference of 1892 may be shortly 

 summarized. As they practically embody the results of the 

 Conferences held in 1890 and 1891 it is unnecessary to go 

 further. They are mainly, that the influences upon the develop- 

 ment of rust of various kind of manurings, of treatment of the 

 ground, treatment of seed, different times of reaping, of the 

 variety of wheat grown, and so forth, were put to the test of 

 experiments extending over two years, and found to be unim- 

 portant as compared with the time of sowing, and, especially 

 with the variety of wheat grown. Manuring and treatment of 

 the soil, methods of cultivation, time of reaping, etc., have an 

 influence upon the development of rust, but that influence is 

 trifling compared with the influence of the variety of wheat 

 grown and the time of sowing. It was clearly shown that 

 there are several varieties of wheat, which, except under very 

 unusual circumstances, are never seriously attacked by rust. 

 And it was also shown that in many districts early sown 

 wheats of a kind liable to rust generally escape damage by rust 

 while the same wheats sown late suffer seriously. 



In view- of these facts, the Conference directed attention 

 mainly to encouraging the growth of varieties less liable to be 

 attacked by rust, and also to early sowing. To this end it 

 was found desirable to find out precisely what are the charac- 

 teristics of those wheats which are less liable to be attacked by 

 rust, and a step has been taken in this direction. In the first 

 place, the following classes were made in which to place the 

 various wheats : 



First Class. Rust-proof wheats, by which are meant 

 w r heats which will not permit the mycelium of rust to enter 

 into their tissues. 



Second Class. Rust-resisting wheats, by which are meant 

 wheats which in localities suited to their growth and under 

 normal conditions, resist at all seasons of the year either 



