REPORT ON SHIRREFF'S BEARDED WHITE WHEAT. 41 



shades, from white to the darkest red, bearded and bald, woolless 

 and woolly of various densities. The seeds covered by this 

 diversity of chaff are nearly uniform in appearance, and very 

 fine in quality, while the foliage and form of the ears are per- 

 haps identical. A few ears of two kinds of sporting wheat were 

 sent to a friend, who reported results similar to what I had ob- 

 tained. On a general view of the subject of new varieties of 

 wheat, I regard the cause of sporting a mystery, and the effects a 

 lottery in which the blanks greatly outnumber the prizes. 



In early life I was induced to form a collection of foreign 

 wheats sent me by the late John Claudius Loudon, but no variety 

 proved of any value. In 1856 the commencement of my exist- 

 ing selection was formed by personally selecting varieties in the 

 growing crops of different districts. For crop 1857 there were 

 about seventy kinds, including named sorts. Many of the new 

 kinds had been obtained amongst a crop from foreign seed, and all 

 such were laid aside as worthless. In this manner, year by year, 

 new kinds were added to the collection, and others rejected. Crop 

 1861 contained the greatest number of new kinds on trial, having 

 the seeds of sixty-four ears selected by myself, and also of twenty 

 ears contributed by friends and unknown correspondents, but of 

 this number there were only five or six new and good varieties. 



In examining new varieties of wheat, with a view of determin- 

 ing their fitness for propagation, I have experienced difficulty 

 in knowing good from bad quality of grain. Hitherto I have 

 been guided by the appearances which were likely to fetch most 

 money in the market. This is, however, evidently an unsatis- 

 factory measure for new varieties, and it is quite possible that I 

 may have rejected from my collection sorts of the greatest merit. 

 A simple and accurate method of ascertaining the relative value 

 of small samples of wheat is much wanted. 



My wheats have been grown contiguous to each other in two 

 rows, eighteen feet in length and one foot apart, with an open 

 space, a yard in width, on all sides to admit of ready access. 

 The plants ought to stand in the rows from two to three inches 

 asunder, to show the tillering, and other peculiarities of the diffe- 

 rent sorts when growing, noting from time to time the earing, 

 blossoming, ripening, and ultimate height of each variety, and 

 any other peculiarity which may be noticed during the time of 

 growth. Label each kind on being cut down, and place a portion 

 of the crop secure from rain, and when properly dried, preserve 

 small samples. By this means the grain of the whole collection 

 for a series of years can be inspected and compared. The soil on 

 which the wheats are to be grown ought neither to be manurially 

 rich nor poor, open to the free admission of air and sunshine, and 

 if necessary, protected from the ravages of hares and rabbits. 



Individuals cannot be expected to accomplish much towards 



