20 REPORT OF IHE AGRTCrLTFRAL RESEARCH 



it has been proved that under canal irrigation in the 

 Punjab, crossing is exceedingly common, a fact which will 

 render seed distribution and wheat breeding work at Lyall- 

 pur somewhat difficult. 



Many of the new Pusa selections and also some of the 

 new hybrid wheats were grown on quarter acre plots at 

 Pusa this year. As no rain fell during the growing period 

 and as no irrigation water was applied, the crop derived 

 its moisture from the water stored up in the soil from the 

 previous monsoon. The yields varied from 25 maunds in 

 the case of early varieties to 35 maunds per acre in the 

 case of the later sorts and some of the new hybrids. About 

 2-5 tons of straw to the acre were produced. These yields 

 are unprecedented for India and were possible on account 

 of the system of cultivation and dry-farming employed in 

 the Botanical area at Pusa. 



Fruit. — The results so far obtained in fruit-groAving at 

 Pusa have been published in Pusa Bulletin No. 16. A 

 visit was paid to Quetta during the year and^ proposals 

 have been put forward for developing the fruit investiga- 

 tions of the section. 



Tobacco. — The results of the tobacco investigations have 

 been published in two memoirs on the subject which form 

 a basis for further work. Natural crossing is common in 

 the crop but easily prevented by raising seed under bag 

 which gives rise to uniform crops. Some preliminary 

 curing experiments have been conducted in conjunction 

 with the Peninsular Tobacco Company with both American 

 and Indian varieties. The Pusa varieties have given the 

 best results so far. 



Fibres. — A good deal of work has been done on Hibis- 

 cus cannabinus, but I have Been unable to find time to 

 write up the results. A memoir on san {Crotalaria juncea) 

 has been published in which the beneficial effect of this crop 

 as a green manure for tobacco has been described. 



General. — A large amount of work on the occurrence 

 of natural cross-fertilization in India has been written up 



