complaint against it. Ninety per cent. of the wheat grown in Queensland 
to-day was of this particular sort, so that millers were largely unable to make 
a proper blending. If farmers would grow Defiance, Town ‘and Country, or 
African wheats, then, by blending them with Allora Spring, a perfect flour — 
could be obtained, and this would probably aiso meet the wants of the farmer. 
At present, the repute of Queensland flour was jeopardised by this Allora 
Spring wheat, which was simply a ball of starch, and wheat was not grown to 
produce starch. It could be obtained more easily from other plants, such as 
the sweet potato. Then as regards the Belatourka. This undoubtedly was a 
very hardy wheat, and it had the great advantage of passing through 
rainy seasons uninjured. In 1894 those farmers who grew Belatourka 
received excellent crops. This variety has a long straw and a drooping head, 
with the result that rain runs off it without trouble. However, the moment — 
they undertook to sell Belatourka millers were up in arms against it, and 
naturally. It belongs to a different class of wheat to the Allora Spring, and 
its gluten did not have sufficient elasticity. A loaf made trom its flour did 
not rise properly, and the bread had always a golden tint. Personally he did 
not think the tint an objection to the wheat, but such was the case. How- 
ever, there were other wheats coming 
would probably ultimately take the place of the Allora Spring, Belatourka, and 
others now grown here, Amongst them were varieties which he thought would 
prove superior in quality to them, and at the same time be their equal in yielding 
and rust-resistant powers. He had now been carefully testing varieties for 
over four years, but, just when he was on the point of bringing his experiments 
toa practical issue, two successive seasons were experienced in which he hardly — 
gota return for his seed. At the present moment, he had 500 varieties waiting 
the arrival of wet weather to be planted in. mt 
Wheat was a most valuable hay crop, and in such seasons of drought as 
the present farmers would find it superior to oats for this purpose. It 
into vogue now in Queensland, andthese 
endured dry weather better than oats; and although the latter were preferred _ : 
by many for hay in a dry season, the wheat would always give a much better 
return. Most of the varieties, however, at present grown in the colony were 
not hay wheats. The Allora Spring was not a good sort for hay, it beinga 
poor yielder in this respect. The Purple Straws might be grown for hay; but 
they should not be grown for grain. Talavera and Lammas were good hay — 
wheats; but the Belatourka was, perhaps, 
best of all, however, for hay were the Scotch wheats, such as the Fifes. With 
regard to dressing seed-wheat for smut, bluestone, of course, was an old remedy; 
but modern experience showed there were several other dressings quite as 
too tough for this purpose. The 
yaluable. The best of all was hot water, and he thought, if farmers once tried 
it, they would permanently adopt it. Bluestone, if given in too large a dose, 
Injured the wheat; but hot water, on the other hanat had the additional 
advantage of seeming to give the wheat treated a stimulus. In fact, it had. 
been shown by experiments that wheat treated with hot water gave a more 
vigorous growth than that treated with other dressings. Seed can be very 
easily and expeditiously treated by placing it in perforated kerosene tins, and 
dipping these into caldrons containing water heated to a temperature of about 
185 degrees Fahr. This would kill smut, but not rust. No treatment of the 
seed has ever yet been discovered that would prevent rust. 
Mr. W. D. Lamp (Yangan) pointed out that although Brisbane millers ; 
appeared to dislike Allora Spring, yet flour manufactured on the Downs, and 
which was yery largely made irom ‘this particular variety, was able to success- 
fully compete in Brisbane against the local article, chiefly made from imported. 
wheat. He believed, however, in blending some of the hard varieties with the ee 
Allora Spring. 
Mr. M. O’Krrre said he was glad Professor Shelton had raised the 
question of fodder in connection with wheat. Many farmers thought wheat 
improved the land, and many in his district (the Lockyer) would be glad of 
information on this point. The opposition that had been made in the past to 
