!86 



Journal of Agrlcidtiirt 



[lo May, 1909. 



Stud Single Seed Plots at the 'College. 

 In these plots more tlian a quarter of a million seeds were sown by 

 hand in drills 2 feet apart, the seeds l)eing put in singly a link apart. 

 It was thus possible to study the characteristics of any plant desired. 

 If a critical examination of the ears be made during the flowering period, 

 it will be noticed that some varieties appear to be richer in pollen-bearing 

 anthers than others, and that the fertilization in the latter is often irregular. 

 Thus their prolificacy is reduced. With perfect conditions, their yield may 

 lie equal to that of a prolific variety ; but, as the conditions are seldom 

 perfect, the hardv ^"a^iety that bears an abundance of pollen is a more 

 consistent yielder. Frost sometimes checks the fertilization of tender 

 varieties, and diseases reduce the vield, either by checking the develop- 

 ment of the grain, as with rust, or bv converting the nutriment, as with 

 smut. 



7. CLUBBED FORMS OF EARS OF SEEDLINGS ORIGINATED AT DOOKIE. 

 (lo) Illustrates a club-tipped ear. (12 and 13) are bald Polish seedlings. 



If the soil and climatic conditions are good, Federation is a prolific 

 wheat; but in poorly tilled soils or where climatic conditions are unfavor- 

 able, it is not as hard\- as some other varieties. Judging by the results 

 in the plots de\oted to bunt experiments, seed apparently affected has its 

 powers of germination weakened. It often happens that there is more 

 meat on a game fowl than on a Brahma th.it appears to be half as large 

 again. In the first, the feathers are fewer and fit tightly to the bodv ; in 

 the second case, the feathers are many and fluffy. It is sometimes similar 

 in the case of wheat-ears. A large ear with thick glumes may have only 

 two fertile florets per spikelet, whereas an ear designed on finer lines may 

 have on an average nearly three florets in each spikelet fertile, as was the 

 ca.se this year with Federation. Some wht-ats on reaching their maximum 

 development have five fertile florets ; Imt this does not often happen, 

 usually the central f>ne heing inft^rtilc. TluMe is one prolific variety th6 



