356 EXPERIMENTS WITH DIFFERENT 



Eegarding the length of straw, in both experiments, Sheriff's 

 may be said to be the longest, and Fenton the shortest ; Hope- 

 toun and Hunter's holding the intermediate places — the former 

 being second longest, and the latter second shortest; the weights, 

 however, of straw shew that the shortest (Fenton) weighs more 

 to the bulk than any of the others. In crop 1864, Shirreff's, 

 though measuring 5 inches longer, had only 28 stones more 

 weight than Fenton ; and in crop 1865, when measuring 6 inches 

 longer, had 27 stones less weight than the Fenton. This is ap- 

 parently a peculiarity of the Fenton straw, proving that it 

 weighs better relatively to its bulk than any of the others. 

 There is also a circumstance worthy of notice regarding the 

 Hunter's weight of straw, it being lowest of all the varieties 

 in 1864, and highest in 1865. I attribute this difference to the 

 damage done by wind in 1864, as it was " more broken down 

 than any of the others," also its having been sown one peck per 

 acre thicker may have made the straw of that year a little softer 

 and lighter; the produce in grain of Hunter's, it will be remem- 

 bered, was also estimated to have been lessened by two bushels, 

 owing to the wind. This is rather an objection to the variety in 

 a stormy or windy season. 



The weights of chaff are remarkably similar both years in all 

 varieties ; Shirreff's (from the beard) being heaviest, and Hope- 

 toun lightest, both years. All the varieties, except Shirreff's, 

 have increased in yield in 1865 ; in weight of straw, Hunter's 

 excepted, they have all decreased; this must be owing to the 

 season of 1865 having proved more favourable to the formation 

 of grain, and less to that of straw, than 1864. The weights per 

 bushel have also this year been higher — the grain, from the long 

 continued dry weather, being in much better condition than last 

 year. There is another marked peculiarity of crop 1865, in there 

 being much less light grain than crop 1864. Shirreff's, both 

 seasons, has less than any of the others. During season 1 865, 

 Hunter's appears all along to have had the lead, looking fresher 

 and greener than the others, and Fenton, as noticed on June 

 6th, apparently going to be the second best, has turned out as it 

 looked at that time. The exception above referred to in the case 

 of the Shirreff variety, as regards increase of produce in 1865, 

 seems to indicate that this variety is inclined to deteriorate when 

 sown a second year in the same locality, and, for this reason, 1 

 think the seed should be changed every year. The table 

 seems to shew that the Hopetoun variety is the most unsatisfac- 

 tory experiment, and therefore not a profitable wheat to cultivate, 

 except on some peculiar soils adapted to its growth. So far as 

 these trials throw any new light on the subject, we may conclude 

 that Hunter's and Fenton still hold their old place as our stand- 

 ard white wheats in average years. It must be admitted, how- 



