IMPROVEMENT OP WHEAT IN HUNGARY. 



"Mr. Mokry, a farmer in the county of Bekes, Hungary 

 has been experimenting for eight years on the improve- 

 ment of wheat, by selection of seed, &c. His efforts 

 having attracted the attention of his government, he has 

 lately received an annual grant to aid him in carrying out 

 his experiments on a large scale. Until quite recently he 

 was unacquainted with the system of Major Hallett, the 

 English experimenter, which would appear to have been 

 in advance of his own, and likely to afford him much as- 

 sistance toward perfecting his practice. The following is 

 an extract from a report made by Mr. Mokry to his gov- 

 ernment: 



"In 1873, I had a field of 40 acres drilled with third- 

 class improved wheat, which gave me 18 metzen (about 34 

 bushels) per acre, whereas the ordinary seed produced only 

 5 metzen. T found that a crop of improved wheat was not 

 in the least degree affected by "rost," and a crop of com- 

 mon wheat was totally ruined by it. I have observed that 

 every year it has maintained its increased reproductiveness 

 even when sown thick and in superficially plowed ground. 

 Seeing, therefore, that in the cases stated the two kinds of 

 seed were drilled under the same conditions of soil and cli- 

 mate, and that one did not receive more care than the other, 

 and that, nevertheless, the pedigree wheat yielded ears as 

 long and as full again as those of the common wheat, I find 

 it demonstrated that the yielding powers of the pedigree 

 wheat can be developed to an almost incredible degree, and 

 and that it will assert its superority even with ordinary 

 treatment and under untoward circumstances. In the un- 

 favorable year, 1874, my first-class improved seed gave 11 

 metzen per acre, weighing 84 pounds per metzen; the sec- 

 ond-class, 7 metzen, weighing 84 pounds; the third-class 

 (broadcast,) 7 metzen, weighing 83 pounds; and the com- 

 mon seed only 5 metzen per acre, weighing 83 pounds 

 per metzen." 



