Letters on the Diseases of Flants. 



Velvet Pearl is a very early wheat, giving a grain of very good milling 

 quality from the Australian point of view, but it is only a fairly good 

 yielder, as it stools rather sparingly in an upright manner. It will stand a 

 dry climate, in fact seems particularly suited to such. Although the stools 

 are small, this is easily compensated for by thicker sowing. The bulk of 

 seed per acre'^is about the same as for other 

 varieties, the seed being small. The wheats 

 of which this is an example seem to have 

 come into favour in but few parts of the 







%0 



^^ ^^"^ world. The variety known as Eed Cali- 



^*^ ^^^--^ fornian, with velvet chaff, appears to be 



^-^ ^^ identical with the present ; both resemble 



^^^^_j^ Allora Spring, but the latter has not velvet 



^•^^^ chaff. New Zealand Velvet appears to be 



^~-x the same as Velvet Pearl. A wheat known 



as Mexican or Eed Mexican is identical 

 ^''■^7Sl^^:^l'Z'^''' ^it^ f^i«- Velvet Pearl is early-early 



enough, perhaps, to be called rust-escapmg. 

 It is identical with Ble de Mars de Cali- 

 fornie of Prance. A considerable quantity 

 of it is grown in South Australia. 



Prominent characteristics. — Medium height, short, bald, velvety, red heads, 

 smallish white grain of only fairly good quality, very early, fairly good yielder, 

 liable to shell. 



Velvet Pearl is, it appears, extensively grown in California and Mexico, and 

 was imported largely last year from the former place to make up the local 

 deficiency, and thus naturally found its way into cultivation. As a milling 

 sort it cannot be said to stand very high. It is early and fairly prolific, but 

 has a rather weak straw, and is very liable to rust. It is, however, well adapted 

 to a hot dry climate, where there are winter rains, and does fairly well on 

 very indifferent soil. The grain is attractive looking. If sown early it may 

 be sown thinly, but if sown late, — and it is a variety that may be sown 

 somewhat late, — it should be sown thickly, at least a bushel to the acre if 

 broadcast, as although its grains are small, and therefore many to the bushel, 

 the plants are not inclined to tiller much. 



Although, therefore, a considerable quantity of Velvet Pearl was, perforce, 

 grown this last season, I would not advise a wide adoption of tJie variety. 

 The Allora Spring is much better as an early variety, and is little if any 

 inferior in its milling qualities, and it is a variety whose popularity is growing, 

 especially for late sowing, the demand for seed being recently very active. 



2. Chili or Oreg^on Club. 



Another variety recently inported from California for milling purposes, 

 and sold also as seed wheat, is Chili, or Oregon Big White Club. 



There are several varieties agreeing essentially one with another grown 

 under these names in the United States. Although they have been introduced 

 into European countries they have not there come into favour, one reason 

 being the poor yield of straw, which in Europe is a valuable product. This 

 factor would not be so important in this country ; therefore these sorts 

 may yet find a place among our cereals. At present they are not much in 



