ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. H. 



Mr. E. Oheel showed five specimens of wild clovers, and 

 pointed out their importance in improving poor soils. 



Mr. A. E. Stephen exhibited a specimen of Humogen or 

 bacterised peat. Dr. Greig-Smith described its prepara- 

 tion and properties. 



Fifth Meeting, Tuesday, December 12th, 19 16. 



Mr. F. B. Guthrie, f.i.c, in the Chair. 



A letter was read from the Under Secretary for Education 

 in which he said that in some schools a start would be 

 made in getting the pupils to grow native grasses, especially 

 kangaroo grass. 



Mr. E. Breakwell discussed the study of the native 

 grasses, the most extensively grown crop in New South 

 Wales. He considered that the vitality of kangaroo grass 

 seed was too low to justify its being grown by school pupils 

 who should work with a grass that would yield positive 

 results. Messrs. A. J. Sach, A. A. Hamilton and H. W. 

 Potts contributed to the discussion. 



The Hon. Secretary was instructed to lay the views of 

 the Section before the Under Secretary for Education. 



Mr. E. Oheel exhibited specimens of kangaroo grasses 

 which had been cultivated for cross-breeding purposes. 



Mr. W. W. L'Estrange contributed a note upon brewing 

 barleys, in which he called attention to some progress that 

 had been made in correlating the structure of the grain with 

 the germinating power and the diastatic content. There 

 was great need for selecting and improving local barleys 

 from a brewing point of view. Imported barleys deteriorated 

 under cultivation. 



In the discussion Mr. H. W. Potts described a visit to 

 the Guelph College, Canada, and the work of its barley 

 selector in improving the barleys of Canada. 



