Wheat Growing in Australia

by Australia. Department of External Affairs

State.	50 miles.	100 miles.	200 miles.	300 miles.	400 miles.	500 miles
	$	$	$	$	$	$
New South Wales	1.20	1.80	2.28	2.52	2.72	2.88
Victoria	1.32	2.04	2.52	2.96	3.36	3.76
Queensland	1.10	2.10	2.64	2.88	3.12	3.36
South Australia	1.48	2.10	3.10	4.10	5.10	6.10
Western Australia	1.50	2.14	2.90	4.08	5.28	5.76
Tasmania	1.62	2.32	3.12	...	...	...

The following table shows the rates on low-class freight, which includes ordinary articles of merchandise, such as are particularly identified or connected with the primary industries:—

Charge per Ton for haul of State.

State.	50 miles.	100 miles.	200 miles.	300 miles.	400 miles.	500 miles
	$	$	$	$	$	$
New South Wales	0.60	0.86	1.36	1.86	2.36	2.86
Victoria	1.02	1.60	2.40	2.84	3.24	3.64
Queensland	1.10	2.10	3.60	4.40	5.60	5.60
South Australia	1.00	1.84	3.26	4.26	5.26	6.26
Western Australia	1.20	2.00	3.40	4.40	5.60	6.60
Tasmania	1.20	1.62	2.04	...	...	...
Average	1.00	1.64	2.86	3.62	4.42	5.48

The railways being publicly owned, there is always a demand for a reduction of rates when they show any undue profit over working expenses. The object of railway administration is to assist the producer.

The oversea trade of Australia runs into enormous figures, amounting in 1913 to $759,422,400.00. Extensive shipping facilities are available, and the producer has cheap and constant access to the world's markets. The Australian wheatgrower is practically able to compete on equal terms in this regard with the farmer in the North and Midland counties of England.

The postal, telegraphic, and telephonic services are also State concerns. There is a universal penny post throughout Australia, telegrams are conveyed at cheap rates, and special facilities are provided for groups of neighbouring farmers to secure a united telephone service. The farmer is able to keep in close touch with the world's markets through these means.

The Departments of Agriculture in the different States have, of course, been created to advance the interests of the farming community. They are large and important departments, well equipped, and have proved of great practical value. Wheatgrowing being the most important crop in Australia, the industry receives special attention, and scientific investigation and experiment is being constantly made, and the results communicated to the wheatgrowers.

Agricultural colleges, where accommodation is provided for students, who are given theoretical and practical instruction in different branches of farming; experiment farms, where students are also trained; demonstration farms; and farmers' experiment plots are conducted by the Departments of Agriculture. Wheatbreeding and pathological and bacteriological work is carried on, and expert instructors work in the field assisting the farmer in every possible way. Bulletins dealing with different phases of work on the wheat farm, giving the results of experiments made, lists of varieties of wheat to plant and when to plant them, are issued in large numbers, and either given to the farmer free or sold at a nominal price. Agricultural gazettes and journals are also issued monthly, while topical information is made public through the columns of the press, which in Australia devotes an unusual amount of space regularly to rural topics.

In New South Wales wheat experiments are conducted at the Cowra Experiment Farm, which is the headquarters, and at the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, and Wagga, Bathurst, Glen Innes, Nyngan, and Yanco Farms. At Nyngan tests are made with a view to determining the suitability of the different varieties for cultivation in dry areas. The work at each farm consists of:—Pedigree plots of the main varieties grown on the farms; crossbreds in course of fixation for local conditions of soil and climate; a "stud variety trial," including all standard varieties, newly-introduced wheats, and samples sent for identification; "stud bulks" to provide seed for planting the farm areas which supply seed wheat for sale.