HOWARD 5. 



A method of growing wheat with one irrigation, followed by the use of 

 implements for breaking the surface crust, has been worked out at the 

 Quetta Fruit Experiment Station. On unmanured land, a greater yield was 

 obtained from this single preliminary irrigation than by the people on similar 

 land with seven irrigations. A full account of these experiments will be found 

 elsewhere.^'- The adoption of this improved method of production, which 

 is well within the means of the local zamindar, would not only increase the yield 

 per acie but would also enable a much larger area to be put under wheat with 

 the amount of water at present available. The wheat produced would more- 

 over be better developed and of higher quality. It is probable that the 

 introduction of an early maturing variety would also prove beneficial. 



Grain Quality. 



There is a general consensus of opinion that the Baluchistan wheats are 

 not of good quality. They are said to be markedly inferior to those of the 

 Punjab, which are much preferred foL- food. As none of the Punjab wheats, 

 however, have really good quality or strength^ it would appear that the 

 Baluchistan wheats are particularly poor. This is due paitly to the system 

 of cultivation and partly to the nature of the varieties grown. The grain has 

 all the characteristics of weak wheat. 



In order to throw further light on the local ideas regarding the inferiority 

 of these wheats, two samples from Baluchistan weie included among a number 

 of Indiaii samples sent in 1909 to Mr. A. E. Humphries, Past President of the 

 Incorporated National Association of British and Irish Millers, for complete 

 milling and baking tests. One of the samples represented the ordinary red 

 wheat of Quetta and was obtained through Khan Bahadur B. J. Patel, c.i.e., 

 of the St. John's ^lills, Quetta. The other was a sample from Mastung obtained 

 through the Political Ad\aser to the Khan of Kalat. Mastung wheat is sup- 

 posed to be markedly superior to the other wheats of Baluchistan. The 

 following is the report* received from Mr. Huniphrifs. It will be seen that 

 neither sample was of good quality. 



'•' Baluchistan wheats. The twenty-nine lots included two, named No. 1 

 Mastung and Red Quetta. both of which I understand came from Baluchistan. 



' Annual Report of the Imperial Economic Botanists, Pusa, 1914-15. 



2 Howard and Howard, Bulletin No. i of the Quetta Fruit Experiment Sttition, 1915. 



3 One of the most important characteristics of a wheat from the point of view of con 

 sumption is its " strength '' by which is meant the capacity of the resulting flour to make 

 large, well-shaped loaves. The same grain qualities which produce a good loaf also produce 

 a good chapafi. 



4 Howard and Howard, Bulletin No. 22 of tht Agr. Res. ImtUu-e, Pusa, 1011. 



