254 ENVIRONMENT AND BAKING QUALITIES. 



way. For present purposes, it is sufficient to say, that so far as 

 quality is concerned, Pusa 12 seems to suit the Indus Valley. If this 

 wheat be extensively growninthat district, it will probably command 

 sooner or later higher prices in our markets than the Choice White 

 and Red Karachi now so largely used in this country. If its 

 yield per acre of grain and straw be no higher than that obtained 

 from the varieties now commonly grown in the district, the relative 

 increase in value per quarter should commend Pusa 12 to growers ; 

 if it will also \aeld increased crops of grain and straw on an average 

 of seasons, it should replace existing varieties within a few seasons ; 

 but it is only right to add that no likely increase in the price per 

 quarter wnll compensate for a substantially diminished yield. I 

 shall therefore be much interested in seeing the returns as to jrield 

 of grain and straw. 



The Dumraon lot was particularly well developed, and might 

 be described as a really beautiful sample. Nevertheless, it was 

 relatively 'weak.' I find on enquiry that it was grown on over- 

 irrigated sandy loam, which might account for the baking result. 

 It is necessary, however, to point out that this lot, though it is at 

 the bottom of the list as regards bakehouse results, is nevertheless 

 much better than the ordinary Indian wheat of commerce (Karachi, 

 Calcutta or Bombay) as regards stability and strength. In this con- 

 nection I should like to say that the Bankipore lot is stronger than 

 its looks and record would lead one to expect. I understand that 

 it was grown after rice, on land which had been over-irrigated for 

 that crop, and it seems that so far as strength is concerned, it was 

 made to appear worse than it is by that treatment. 



It will be seen from the tables that the ' strongest ' earned 

 89 and the * weakest ' 78 marks for strength. I am surprised 

 that the difference is not greater. Some years ago, we grew wheat 

 from the same seed on several typical soils in England, and found the 

 differences greater than those with which we are now dealing. 

 However, I have made enquiries to ascertain whether any of the 

 districts represented in these trials are unlikely to grow wheat for 



