68 WHEAT PRODUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND 



Canadian wheats. But when the Home grown Wheat 

 Committee distributed the seed, the yield was found to 

 be inferior, by about 50 per cent., to ordinary Home 

 grown varieties. A yield of 24 bushels per acre of this 

 wheat at 40s. per quarter will give a return of only 6 

 per acre as compared with a return of nearly 8 from 

 36 bushels of "weak" wheat at 35s. per quarter. More- 

 over, in fostering higher "strength" in the "strong" 

 wheat greater attention would be necessary in cultivation 

 and harvesting than in the case of the ordinary Home 

 grown varieties. Hence the cost of production of the 

 former is likely to be higher than that of the latter. 



New Zealand conditions offer a good example of this. 

 Two of the most common varieties are Pearl and Tuscan, 

 the former being slightly better in "strength" and 

 general quality, though both in reality are "weak" 

 wheats. On account of its higher milling qualifications 

 Pearl brings up to 3d. per bushel higher than Tuscan. 

 The yield of Pearl, however, falls short of the yield of 

 Tuscan by some 10 bushels per acre. If then, the average 

 yield of Tuscan on good land be taken as 40 bushels per 

 acre and the average price 40d. per bushel, the total 

 return per acre will be 6 13s. 4d. But with regard to 

 Pearl grown on the same ground assuming that the yield 

 is 30 bushels per acre and the price 43d. per bushel, the 

 total return per acre is only 5 7s. 6d. It is generally 

 understood that Tuscan requires less trouble in culti- 

 vation, though it may be more difficult to harvest than 

 Pearl. Hence the difference in return of some 1 5s. 

 has led largely to the substitution of Tuscan varieties 

 where conditions are at all favourable. 



2. The Miller's Conception of Quality. 



Of more importance in the world's markets is the 

 quality viewed from the miller's standpoint. To the 

 miller the quality of wheat depends on three chief 



