634 



Plant Breeding at Aberystwyth. [Oct., 



conditions. It was decided, therefore, to resort to glass as an 

 assistance. A large span house with cage and trolleys has now 

 been erected to facilitate this aspect of the work. The house 

 (unfinished) is shown in Plate VI. This illustration also 

 shows the large cage, the bottom part of which contains the 

 box culture trenches; the upper part is small mesh, and is used 

 for cereal work. Experimental pollen-proof cages are also 

 shown, and to the left, on the grass bed, are pollen-proof 

 capsules covering panicles of cocksfoot. 



The herbage plant work aims not only at improving the 

 common grasses and clovers already in agricultural use in 

 Wales but also at introducing herbage plants which are not at 

 present used, or if so only very slightly, in this country and 

 at examining the possible usefulness of some of these plants 

 as parents for hybridization. 



With a view to this latter end small scale trials are first set 

 out in the garden, and followed up on a larger scale with plants 

 which show any promise. An interesting trial embracing 

 about thirty species was sown down during the spring.* The 

 course adopted is to sow half of each bed in drills in situ and 

 to make up the remainder of the bed with spaced single plants 

 obtained from the boxes. It is naturally to be expected that 

 the great majority of the species tested will prove to be quite 

 useless; and it is interesting to record, therefore, that a few 

 species in particular have shown to sufficient advantage 

 to merit further investigation and trial. These species 

 are (1) a variety of Trifolmm subterraneum\ which makes 

 unusually robust and rapid growth, (2) Phalaris nodosa, 

 (3) Danthonia pilosa, (4) Teff grass (Eragrostis abyssinica), and 

 (5) Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa). 



(1) Trifolium subterraneum. — This is certainly a remark- 

 able plant. In the garden it produced a dense growth, and 

 within ten weeks of sowing, rows 15 in. apart were completely 

 filled up, some of the runners being over 18 in. long. Sown 

 on 29th April, 1920, it flowered to some extent in August; 

 sown on 30th June, 1919, it did not flower in the autumn, but 



*Thanks are due to Dr. Taylor, Chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry, 

 USA, and to Messrs. Donaldson, of Edinburgh, who obtained a considerable 

 number of special seeds for the Station. Other varieties were obtained from 

 Messrs. Vilmorin Andrieux et Cie., of Paris, and Messrs. Haage and bcnmidt, 



° f ^The seed was obtained through Messrs. Donaldson, who stated that 

 it is used in Australia. Further and exact information is being sought, but 

 has not yet been obtained. . . , 



The seed would seem to be expensive (15s. per lb.) ; if the plant ultimately 

 proves to be of value the preliminary trials conducted suggest that seed 

 production may possibly be quite feasible m this country. 



