FIELD CROPS. 835 



In in04 a fx'ee distributiim of I lie < r<i|i wns made to cigar niannfacturt'rs :ind 

 dealers in leaf tobacco in (irdcr tli;i( their ()i)inions as to tli(> qnality nught be 

 obtaineil. "From tiie leltei-s received \>y llie I )e|i;irtment tlie tobacco seems to 

 bavi' given s;i(isl. net ion." 



Milling characteristics of Australian wheats, F. B. (Jutiikik and (}. W. 

 XoHKis (Jour. I)(i)t. Aijr. ^o.Aust.,10 (JDOl), So. 7, pp. 392-/i0o). — In tliis ])ai»er 

 it is pointed ont that Sonth Anstralian wheats are cliaracterized by strengtli of 

 llonr, winch is always of high color and good glnten content. The Victorian 

 wheats, wbili' prodncing flonr of e(|nally good color and glnten content, are 

 iowcr in strengtli. 'I'lie tlonr jirodnced in .\ew Sontii Wales closely resi-nddes 

 that prodnccd in \'ictoria and Sonth Anstralia, but stands midway between 

 these two varieties in respect to strength. The Queensland wheats show^ high 

 bushel weights and a high percentage of tlonr, but in strength tlie.v are dis- 

 tinctly below (lie wlieats of the ?> States .just mentioned. AVestern Australian 

 wheats give a tlonr of high color and fair strength, but deficient in gluten. 

 The good points of New Zealand wbeats are given as good yielding power, liigh 

 bushel weight, and fair Hour strength, and the weak points as lack of brightness 

 in the grain, tliick bran, chalky color of flour, and deficient gluten. 



The improvement of English wheat, A. E. Humphries and K. II. Biffen 

 (Jour. A(/r. Hci., 2 (IDOl), \u. 1. pp. /-/6'). — This article is a resume of the 

 work of improving English wheat in various jiarts of England and is based on 

 a jiaper iiresented on this subject to the international convention of millers at 

 Paris in I'.Mr,. The (luality of wheats from different parts of the world is dis- 

 cussed, and the results of various exi)eriments conducted to deternnne the factors 

 influencing the strength of wheat as shown by baking tests are noted. 



It is pointed out that soil conditions have a considerable influence on the 

 strength of wheat, though the experiments presented give no information as 

 to the precise factor or groups of factors which determine this influence. In 

 testing the influence of fertilizer applications on the strength of wheat wide 

 differcTices in the results were observed, but the results show satisfactorily 

 that long-continued manuring does not increase the strength of wheat and that it 

 may even seriously depreciate it. In connection with one of these experiments 

 it was found that the strength of the grain from highly manured plats in- 

 creased abnormally with its age and that this marked improvement in (jualit.v 

 on ageing coincided with a deficiency of pliosphat(>s in the ash of the grain. 

 Sl)ring sowing of wheat did not give results showing an increase of strength 

 in the grain. Results also show that the time of harvesting may influence 

 the strength, but not sufficiently to bring the best English varieties to rank 

 with such wheats as those from Manitoba. 



In addition to ,•< review of these lests the work of comi)aring mnnerous for- 

 eign varieties is described. In tliis work it was found tliat the qualit.v of some 

 wheats changes consideraldy with climatic and soil conditions, while others 

 retain their sti'cngtb nndiM- all conditions. The Fife wheats were especially 

 prominent in retaining their strength. 



In order to obtain suitable varieties of wh(\-it ;ula|)ted both to th(> farmers' 

 and mill(>rs' jmriioses the inheritance of strength was studied in great detail, 

 and many hybrid varieties were originated and rigidly selected. It is stated 

 that whil(> stnMigth and the lack of strength in wheat may not form a pair of 

 Mendelian characteristics, the assumption that they do has proved very valu- 

 able in ])uilding up desirable varieties. So far about -10 types, mostly of Fife 

 parentage, have been retained as i)roving satisfactory in all featui'es, ami 

 fhese are now cultivated to determine tiieir .vielding power. These fy]ies are 

 diverse in habit, some being loose, others scjuare in the head, while some have 



