INSTITUTE, PUSA, FOR 1917-18 49 



In the United Provinces, Mr. B. C. Burt is distributing 

 Type 28 among the tobacco growers of the Farrukhabad 

 District where it is doing well. 



As the production of large quantities of seed, true to 

 type, of any variety of tobacco at an experiment station at 

 which plant breeding work is also in progress, is a difficult 

 and expensive matter, it would help materially if all future 

 indents for seed could be sent in each year before the end 

 of November. Small quantities of seed of Type 28 will 

 always be available but special arrangements will have to 

 be made if the demand for seed increases 



4. Fibres, 



The isolation of the numerous unit species which make 

 up the gametic constitution of the four varieties ot 

 Hibiscus Sabdariffa, described in the Botanical Series of 

 the Memoirs of the Department of Agriculture in India 

 (vol. IV, no. 2), was continued during the year. When 

 this is complete, it will be possible to finish the work and 

 to put forward a full explanation of the results hitherto 

 obtained. 



Favourable reports continue to be received of the 

 behaviour of the improved type of patwa (Hibiscus can- 

 nabinus) known as Type 3. Only a very small portion of 

 the seed required could be supplied and none of the 

 samples of fibre asked for could be prepared. About two 

 acres of this type are being grown for seed during the 

 present year for starting seed distribution centres in South 

 Bihar and in Orissa. The seed likely to be obtained will 

 not suffice for purposes of seed distribution in these areas 

 but it is hoped thereby to stock a few farms at which" this 

 type can be multiplied for local seed distribution. Un- 

 fortunately, no suitable high land could be spared for fibre 

 purposes. Only a few of the highest and lightest plots of 

 the Botanical Area at Pusa are suitable for growing patwa 

 to advantage and as similar conditions are required for a 

 number of other crops under investigation, progress must 



