ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 49 
at fixed prices, and the demand for these is so great that it is 
expected that in a few years the institution will be almost self- 
supporting. If the distribution of improved wheats raises the 
yield of the colony but one bushel per acre, what a grand achiev- 
ment that would be! And the quality of the wheat is being 
improved at the same time, becoming more rust resistant, and of 
improved value for milling purposes. I am afraid I must leave 
this fascinating subject, as further discussion of it is perhaps more 
appropriate to an Agricultural Society than to a Royal Society 
for the promotion of science in general. I would, however, that 
agricultural societies would not entirely devote their energies to 
displays of stock, products and manufactures ; it might be advan- 
tageous to their members to discuss agricultural matters, intro- 
duced by lectures or papers, and important subject-matter for 
many a meeting could be supplied by recounting the aims, 
‘Mmethods,.and results of the various agencies for the advancement 
of rural pursuits by the Department of Agriculture of New South 
‘Wales. 
c. Mr. W. Farrer’s work with Wheats.—Besides this wheat- 
selection work of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. W. Farrer 
of Lambrigg, Tharwa, continues his work with this cereal ; this 
he has carried on at his own expense for many years. The system 
Mr. Farrer is following is that of cross-breeding between selected 
distinct varieties, followed by selection from the resulting numer- 
ous types, of such as appear to possess, in the highest degree, the 
qualities which are valuable, not only to the farmer, but to the 
miller, baker, and consumer as well, —to the two latter especially. 
Mr. Farrer is paying attention more particularly to the nutritive 
_ Value of the grain, and resistance to rust, in his experiments, 
Without neglecting such important matters as productiveness, 
earliness of maturity and strength of straw. He is ‘aiming to 
make the good qualities of his wheats normal and stable qualities. 
of new varieties. Such new varieties as he makes in this manner ~ 
he is in the habit of distributing, before they are quite firmly 
fixed, to the Agricultural Departments of the different colonies, 
_ D—May 5, 1897. pes 
oo 
Mo. Bot. Garden, 
1898. 
