WEEVIL IN WHEAT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 120, 7 February 1918, Page 8

WEEVIL IN WHEAT

:.;.' !AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. ! I •-.•■" "I,'am willing to put down my prof ' fassional reputation and say we have | the situation in hand, if the States j ; Avill hack us up." This definite state.lnenfc was made on January 16 by Pr 0;:.... ;:.... feasor Lefroy, a member of tho British ' \ .Wheat Commission now in Sydney, and "'•• referred to tho control of weevil in . — wheat and the safe stacking of cereals '• .in future. A method of stacking, he ' continued, had been dovised which would eliminate weevil as a factor in ' the future. The principles of this Method are an insecticide layer below • tho stack, aerated flooring, and inde-, pendent roofing. Little, if any more,' •-. material need be used than at present. ' Professor Lefroy went on to say that as wheat under this method could. be kept free from insect pests indefinitely, ' he considered ■it had an important bearing on the question, of future j wheat cultivation, and he held that it would be a great mistake ifor Australia . to restrict her area -under_ wheat. To ■ restrict wheat cultivation in favour of stock raising would, he said, bo a suicidal policy. It had been thoroughly demonstrated. that weevil-infested wheat could be thoroughly cleaned at the' cost of one penny, or less, per '.. bushel. The first two machines for ...•■ cleaning wheat were now being made • to the order of the British Government, - ■ and would, shortly be working. They - would treat from 500 to 1000 bushel's per hour. Mr. Lefroy added that if wheat were stacked dry under the new ''_ method thero would be no further ' .trouble. If, through wot weather, .., ..wheat was delivered in a moist condi- -. „tion, it would havo to bo dried before •■•. stacking. Harvesting operations aro well r-d- ---~ - .Tanced in the Grecustreet district,. and ' "the majority of the wheat crops have been cut and are iu stools (reports the "Ashburton Guardian"). A few of the '. latter have been thrashed, and yielded lip to 30 bushels per acre. There is a. remarkable growth of feed on the ...stubble land, which includes red and white clover. Harvesting operations iu the Wairarapa are now practically completed, on/1 sheep dipping is in full swing.