30 CEREALS 



from the above-mentioned bureau scheme, is also 

 encouraged by the Department. 



The milling of wheats on a small mill and the testing 

 of flour has been carried on in New South Wales since 

 1885. This has also been a factor in the improvement of 

 wheat, in that it has enabled the breeder and grower to 

 avoid the propagation of inferior grain and to improve 

 local wheats in respect to milling excellence. The Depart- 

 ment is also represented on the Grain Trade Section of 

 the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, part of the activity 

 of which body is to strike the standard of quality for 

 shipping (the F.A.Q., or Fair Average Quality standard,). 



For many years the Department's mill has been utilized 

 for the purpose of awarding the prizes in the wheat 

 section of the Royal Agricultural Society's Show, the 

 prizes being finally awarded to those wheats which give 

 the best milling results. 



(2) VICTORIA. 

 Departmental Action. 



Systematic work in the improvement of wheats by 

 selection, combined with cross breeding, is carried out at 

 the Government Experiment Farms and Stations at 

 Dookie, Longernong, Rutherglen, Wyuna, and more 

 recently at Werribee Research Station. Standard varieties 

 are also grown for seed purposes in " stud plots " for 

 distribution as seed wheat to farmers. An experimental 

 flour mill is in operation on which new varieties can be 

 tested for their milling qualities, and the flour tested and 

 baked into loaves. This is under the charge of Mr. A. E. 

 Richardson, Superintendent of Agriculture. The mill is 

 also made use of in judging the wheats competing at the 

 Melbourne Royal Agricultural Show. 



The work at Dookie has been the most prolific of 

 results in the production of improved varieties, and a 

 short description of some of the wheats created by Mr. 

 Pye will serve to show the nature of the work accom- 

 plished. 



Mr. Hugh Pye, now Principal of Dookie Agricultural 

 College, Victoria, was among the first to take up the 

 systematic study of wheat with a view to its improvement. 



