21 



colored and ornamental than those with which the Australian farmer is 

 familiar. These fallows appear to be cross-ploughed in spring, but at this 

 time of the year the primitive ploughs in use are quite unfit to bury any 

 heavy weed growth. 



The flinty macaroni wheats (Triticum durum) appear to be grown prin- 

 cipally in the drier plains districts. Of these the principal varieties are 

 Deve, Arnaout, and Mavragan. In the damper districts and hills softer 

 varieties are grown, principally Rapsani, Zouliza, and Dimenos or two months 

 wheat. m This rapid-growing wheat is always spring sown, ripening its grain 

 at the same time as the winter sown wheats. I have forwarded a small 

 sample of it to Roseworthy. The mower and binder and steam thresher 

 have penetrated here, although the bulk of the harvesting is done with the 



Spring Tillage in Greek Olive Groves. 



sickle and threshing sledge. The chaffed straw is reserved for feeding horses 

 and cattle. As was formerly the case with us, red rust frequently leads to 

 disastrous losses. 



Barley is also very frequently grown, but exclusively the six-rowed variety 

 known to us as Cape Barley. In certain districts it is cut for hay after the 

 flowering stage. I saw several samples of this hay, which appeared to me 

 to have been cut very much later than is the practice with us, for it was white, 

 brittle, and heavily bearded. I cannot say that it compared favorably with 

 our good wheaten or oaten hay. It yields 1 ton to 2J tons to the acre. 



Almost every farmer has a small patch of rye. I could not understand 

 why this should be the case until I was informed that it was used for bands 

 at harvest time. For this purpose rye straw is no doubt excellent. 



