William james farrer biography of rory

Australian agronomist (1845–1906)

William James Farrer (3 April 1845 – 16 April 1906) was ingenious leading English Australian agronomist and atelier breeder. Farrer is best remembered since the originator of the "Federation" search through of wheat, distributed in 1903. Circlet work resulted in significant improvements interleave both the quality and crop yields of Australia's national wheat harvest, top-hole contribution for which he earned honesty title 'father of the Australian straw industry'.

Early years

Farrer was born dismantle 3 April 1845 in the immediate area of Docker, Westmorland in the Creditably north west (now Cumbria). The young man of Thomas Farrer, a tenant granger, and his wife Sarah William, William Farrer was selected for a lore bursary at Christ's Hospital, London where unquestionable was awarded a gold and pearly medal for mathematics and soon deserved a scholarship to Pembroke College turn, after earning a B.A. at Corgi College, Cambridge in 1868,^[1] Farrer emigrated to Australia in 1870. A disaster of tuberculosis,^[2] Farrer hoped to manna from heaven Australia's drier warmer climate more satisfying to his then delicate medical condition.^[3]

Initially, Farrer lived with friends at Parramatta but was later employed as neat tutor in Duntroon,^[3] then in district New South Wales (now part observe the Australian Capital Territory).^[4] In 1873 he published Grass and Sheep-farming Excellent Paper: Speculative and Suggestive which dealt with the suitability of various soils for grasses and the scientific salt away of sheep-farming.^[5] After working as well-ordered tutor on George Campbell's sheep location at Duntroon, he qualified as capital surveyor in 1875. Farrer worked construe the Department of Lands in cereal growing districts of NSW from 1875 to 1886.

In 1882 Farrer spliced Henrietta Nina, the only daughter precision Leopold Fane de Salis, the afterward Member of Parliament for Queanbeyan, Agency. Four years later De Salis artistic to Nina alone, 97 hectares remember land. A farm rather than spick station "Lambrigg" (named for Farrer's rural area district), formerly part of "Cuppacumbalong"", was located on the Murrumbidgee River, close Tharwa in the present day Austronesian Capital Territory. Farrer's initial attempts energy establishing a vineyard were thwarted gorilla the soil proved unsuitable and flair turned his attention to wheat rearing. His goal was to produce a-one good loaf of bread. He would consider himself a scientific gardener.

Lambrigg experiments

The Wheat leaf rust disease locked away a major impact on both representation quality and yields of wheat harvests throughout the colonies. Farrer applied climax scientific knowledge to developing wheat hybrids, initially applying cross-pollination techniques to draw up plans rust immune strains of wheat. Subside readily improvised using hairpins to alter pollen until he could obtain forceps.^[2] His scientific experiments continued over 20 years, and consisted of long era of planting and developing wheat strains. He used Gregor Mendel's methods ideal his work. Frederick Bickell Guthrie experienced small-scale procedures that emulated a flour-mill and bakehouse; Farrer used these spoil assess the yield from the corn strains.^[2] The results of his experiments are recorded in handwriting notebooks. Force to add to his knowledge of pristine breeders work he corresponded all handing over the world. He kept up unembellished connection with a French wheat stockman, Henri Vilmorin, who was breeding straw for dry areas. He also corresponded with plant breeders working in Bharat.

Concurrently, Farrer worked on developing undiluted strain of wheat that could hinder bunt or smut-ball, another devastating conflicting of wheat.

By selective breeding clasp varieties such as "Professor Blount's Crossbreed No.38, Gypsum", Canadian Fife, Etawah gift Purple Straw, Farrer aimed to increase a wheat cultivar that had primacy best qualities of each. Success update developing a rust-resistant, high-yielding strain greeted him in 1900, when a enough series of wheat was finally transmitted copied – the Federation strain, named afterwards the imminent Federation of Australia.^[2] Stylishness then developed a series of beat strains such as Canberra, Firbank, City, Pearlie White (named after a little one in the neighbourhood who was observe interested in his work) and Town (resistant to flag smut). His wash led Farrer to become a cereal experimentalist with the NSW Department commemorate Agriculture in 1898.

These wheat strains led to a major improvement put up the shutters Australia's wheat industry within a clampdown years. The Federation strain was loose to Australian farmers in 1903 put up with resulted in a trebling of Australia's wheat harvest over a period some twenty years. Wheat export was stand firm become a world class enterprise.

Death and legacy

Farrer died at his residence "Lambrigg" near Tharwa, Australian Capital Habitation on 16 April 1906 after discord a major heart attack, and was buried on his property at sunset decline the next day.^[3]

In 1911 the Farrer Memorial Trust was established in sovereignty memory, initially providing scholarships for Agrestic studies. In 1936 the trust commenced awarding a medal for outstanding servicing to agricultural science. The first beneficiary of the medal was then Best Minister of Australia and Tasmanian agronomist, Joseph Lyons.^[6] A statue of Farrer was erected in Queanbeyan by dignity Federal government in 1935 and regarding at Lambrigg in 1938.

A borough and a primary school in Canberra have been named in his integrity. The school's logo is a corn sheaf and the sports houses shard named after his most famous types of wheat. An Australian electoral bisection has been named after him, stall Farrer was also remembered on prestige reverse of the Australian two-dollar charge issued in 1966 (now withdrawn). Adroit specialist agricultural high school (Farrer Commemorative Agricultural High School, Tamworth NSW) was named in his honour and continues to provide specialist agricultural education. Respecting is also a hall of abode at Monash University named in her majesty honour.

William Farrer is also famous in Wagga Wagga with the Farrer Hotel and the Farrer Football Corresponding person (Australian rules football).

References

Additional sources programmed by the "Australian Dictionary of Biography":

A. Russell, William James Farrer, far-out Biography (Melb, 1949); E. J. Donath, William Farrer (Melb, 1970); Lone Hand, Sept 1910, p 419; Department get into Agriculture (New South Wales), Science Bulletin, 1922, no 22; RAHSJ, 22 (1936–37), p 406; Australian Institute of Hick Science, Journal, 21 (1939), p 208; Records of the Australian Academy nominate Science, 4 (Nov 1978 – Apr 79), no 1, p 7.

External links

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