220 ENVIRONMENT AND MILLING QUALITIES. 



and agricultural characters form a very convenient material for 

 the study during several years of changes in consistency on a large 

 number of very different wheats. The 25 types include 3 maca- 

 roni wheats, 4 dwarf wheats and 18 common wheats. In a simi- 

 lar manner the Bengal types of wheat at present growing in the 

 Botanical area at Piisa will be grown in the Botanical area at 

 Cawnpore from 1910 onwards. 



A further experiment on the influence of environment on the 

 milling and baking qualities of wheat is in progress at Cawnpore 

 and Piisa, and it is hoped to extend this experiment to the Chenab 

 Colony of the Punjab in 1910. This trial consists in the influence 

 of weathering' on the yield and quality of the same variety grown 

 side by side on quarter acre plots, one of which has been weathered 

 during the hot weather and the other in which cultivation has 

 been postponed till after the monsoon has set in. Both the con- 

 sistency and the miUing and baking qualities of these samples will 

 be compared, and it is expected that the results will not be without 

 interest and value to India. 



1 The exposure of the alluvial soil of the plains of India by several ploughings to the sun 

 and air during the intensely hot dry weather of April, May and June has an astonishing effect 

 on the yield of the succeeding wheat crop and undoubtedly increases the nitrogen available in 

 the soil as is seen in the dark green luxuriant foliage. When the soil for wheat is not weathered 

 during this hot dry period, the crop is yellow and stunted and exhibits all the characteristics of 

 nitrogen hunger. 



The explanation of the extraordinary manurial effect of weathering is no doubt due to the 

 partial sterilisation of the soil by the intense dryness, heat and light of an Indian hot weather. 

 In all probability these causes bring about a similar result to that produced by artificial heating 

 and by poisons such as has been found in England by Russell and his pupils (vide Journal of 

 Agrieultural Science, Vol. Ill, 1909, p. 11 1 ). These investigators have found that partial sterilis- 

 ation of the soil kills off the phagocytes which live on bacteria, and also large soil organisms 

 inimical in other ways to bacteria. At the same time the soil bacteria are killed off, but the 

 spores remain which germinate and rapidly multiply when the soil is moistened. The new 

 bacterial cultures increase at an enormous rate and the resulting nitrogenous plant food becomes 

 so great that growth is stimulated. Russell's researches seem to afford an adequate explanation 

 of the extraordinary manurial effect of weathering Indian wheat land. The Imperial Agricul- 

 tural Bacteriologist has agreed to investigate the bacteriological aspect of this question in 

 India. For weathering during the hot season iron ploughs are more effective than the native 

 wooden plough. This is no doubt due to the better soil inversion produced by the former, 

 resulting in a more complete weathering and sterilisation of the soil. 



We believe it will be found that not only the yield but also the quality of the crop is 

 improved by weathering. Where the preliminary weathering is neglected and the wheat lands 

 are not broken" up till late, the crop is almost invariably uneven in texture. The preliminary 

 weathering seems to lead to a uniform absorption of monsoon or irrigation water and to prevent 

 local excess or defect of soil moisture. A uniform condition as regards soil moisture is naturally 

 bound up with an even supply of moisture to the crop and this seems to be one of the causes of 

 arain of even texture. 



