64 The Irish Nahitalist. March, 191 3. 
BOTANY. 
Wheat Experiments at the Albert Farm, Glasnevin, Dublin. 
In order to test the yielding capacities and quality of several French 
and certain other varieties of wheat, the Department of Agriculture 
carried out a series of field tests at the Albert Agricultural College Farm , 
Glasnevin, in 191 1. The results of these tests were pu Wished in the 
Department's Annual Report on Wheat Experiments for that season. 
The tests have been repeated this year, and the hst has been supplemented 
by four other varieties. Three of these were Danish wheats imported by 
the Department from Copenhagen, and one a variety grown to some 
extent as a spring wheat in Counties Carlow and Kildare. 
The yields for 19 12 are, with one exception, considerabl}- below those 
for 191 1. The average yield of wheat on the farm for a number of years 
past has been about 12 barrels per statute acre. All the French wheats 
show a large decrease, and the only increased yield for the whole series is 
that of " Red Fife," the seed of which was obtained from the produce of 
some hand -selected ears growm by the Department in 19 10. 
The tliree Danish varieties, " Queen Wilhelmina," " Tystofte Small 
Wheat," and " Danish Square Head," gave very good yields. In point 
of quality " Red Fife " was undoubtedly the best wheat of the series, 
next in order coming " Burgoyne's Fife." " Queen Wilhelmina," a white 
wheat, ma>- be placed next, and then, a long way behind, " White 
Marvel." 
" Tystofte Small Wheat " and " Danish Square Head " are varieties of 
the Square Head Master type, but not so coarse. The French varieties, 
with the exception of " White Marvel," are very poor quality, " Dread- 
nought " and "Perfection" being wholl}'' unsuited for milling require- 
ments. The partial faihu'e of " Perfection " this year was in large 
measure due to bad germination of the seed. " April Red," a variet}- 
resembling " Red Fife " in shape of ear, excepting that it has a distinct 
awn, is a late spring wheat. In yield it does not equal " Red Fife," to 
which variety it is also inferior in quality. 
Regarding the two new hybrid wheats, " Little Joss " and " Burgoyne's 
Fife," while the former is undoubtedly the heavier yield, in quality it is 
greatly inferior to " Burgoyne's Fife." Other tilings, such as quality of 
strawy being equal, there is nothing to recommend " Little Joss " in 
preference to " T^^stofte Small Wheat," a variety which by reason of its 
productivity and generally acceptable quality is grown extensively in 
Denmark. 
Of all the varieties tested, " Queen Wilhelmina." on account of its 
yielding capacity and quality, appears at present to be the most desirable 
wheat, and certainly merits the attention of Irish wheat growers. 
Polygala vulgaris var. grandiflora. 
To the Journal of Butony for July, 1912, Mr. A. Bennett contributes 
a note, in the course of which he points out that the correct name of the 
famous Ben Bulben Polygala should be P. vulgaris L. var. Bajlii (Nyman). 
