44 REPOR'r OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH , 



people may be. A little consideration will show that these 

 expectations are bound to result in disappointment as they 

 entirely disregard the fact that two of the limiting factors 

 in crop production in India are the methods of cultivation 

 and moisture conservation adopted. Inadequate prepar- 

 ation for any crop and insufficient moisture cut across the 

 real yielding power of varieties and tend to bring them to 

 the same level. Optimum yields of the varieties and there- 

 fore true comparisons in yielding power are only possible 

 if the limiting factors of bad cultivation and poor mois- 

 ture conservation are removed. The full benefit of im- 

 proved varieties, and especially those of high quality, can 

 only be realised if cultivation is good and moisture is ade- 

 quate. It is suggested that in all seed distribution schemes 

 in India due attention should be paid to the prime import- 

 ance of cultivation and moisture conservation as well as to 

 the value of improved varieties. That it is possible to ob- 

 tain greatly increased yields using only the means now 

 possessed by the cultivators has been abundantly proved by 

 the results obtained in the botanical area at Pusa during 

 the last three years. 



Trade Aspects. — Advantage was taken during the year 

 of several opportunities of bringing the results of the wheat 

 experiments to the notice both of the trade and of those 

 interested in the cultivation of the crop. Everywhere the 

 greatest surprise was expressed that wheats like those 

 shown could be grown in India. In Karachi and Calcutta 

 I ascertained from the leading wheat merchants that nj 

 difficulties are likely to be experienced by the growers in 

 disposing (with considerable advantage to themselves) of 

 uniform parcels of wheat of high quality. It is essential, 

 however, that the quantities should be large and that the 

 grades should be maintained from year to year. In Bom- 

 bay a paper was read on the Pusa wheat experiments in the 

 rooms of the Bombay Natural History Society, at which 

 most of the wheat merchants attended, and at which an 

 exhibit of the new wheats was shoAvn. At the Allahabad 

 Agricultural Conference I opened the discussion on wheat, 



