INSTITUTE, PUSA, FOR 1916-17 3? 



It will be obvious that if aeration is of any importance,, 

 the type which will thrive best in the monsoon in Bihar is 

 type 1 and that type 2 will be the next best. Even if the 

 lower portion of the root-system in these types is asphyxi- 

 ated, the upper portion would be sufficient to carry on 

 growth. Plants belonging to types 3 and 4 would lose a 

 large portion of their root-system and even if they could 

 struggle on would not thrive. Plants of the fifth type would 

 be killed out. Experience shows that this is the case. 

 Rapidly-growing, bushy indigos with most of the root- 

 system near the surface, have successfully withstood the 

 monsoon, while deep-rooting types belonging to classes 3, 4 

 and 5 have died out. 



5. Gram. 



After the heavy monsoon of 1916, the land at sowing 

 time at Pusa was much too wet for gram cultivation. As 

 was expected, the growth was very luxuriant but the yield 

 of seed was far below the average. It is only occasionally 

 that the highest and driest plots at Pusa are in the right 

 condition for testing gram varieties. This circumstance 

 has greatly hindered the work on this crop. A large number 

 of varieties have been isolated, some of which are very pro- 

 mising, but it is exceedingly difficult to carry out the final 

 trials for yield and to eliminate the less efficient types. As 

 this work has now been hurj£r'up for several years, it is 

 hoped to make suitable arrangements for the trials in the 

 United Provinces. 



6. Oil-seeds. 



It appears from the literature that up to the present no 

 arrangements have been made on a practical scale to have- 

 the seed of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) examined with, 

 a view to its utilization in the arts. The seed is rich in oil 

 which at present is said to be largely used for adulterating 

 ghi. As it is probable that the oil may be of use in water- 

 proofing cloth, a consignment of about a ton has been sent 

 to England for full tests under factory conditions. If the 

 seeds prove of value in Great Britain, it will not be a diffi- 



