044 Campaign for Increased Wheat Production. [Jan., 



Our old-time boast that the average yield for this country was 

 higher than that of any other country in the world is no longer 

 true, for in 1919 this country fell considerably behind both 

 Denmark and Holland. The following are some significant 

 averages of last year's production : — 



Denmark ... ... ... 47 "5 bushels per acre 



Netherlands 37-2 „ ,, „ 



Great Britain 29*1 „ ,, „ 



United States 12-5 ,, 



India ... ••• 12-6 „ „ „ 



The new conditions are likely to offer extended scope for the 

 use of manures. Even at present prices an increased yield of 

 3 bushels repays amply the application of 1 cwt. of sulphate of 

 ammonia. 



Judicious manuring is one of the surest aids to increased 

 output, and the result of experiments on the time of application 

 should prove of value to those who are prepared to depart from 

 the older customs of limiting themselves to the employment of 

 farmyard manure on the clover root. 



As the result of three years' experiences with the sulphate of 

 ammonia, applied in the College Trials at fixed times of the 

 year, it has been shown that though this fertiliser increased 

 the yield when applied in the autumn, the maximum increase — 

 8 bushels per acre — was obtained by an application at the end of 

 February or in early March. 



The danger of over-manuring need not be a deterrent, as there 

 are varieties of wheat available which are strong enough in the 

 straw to carry the resulting large head and big berry. Such 

 varieties as Svalof Iron and Yeoman are very different in this 

 regard from the older Standard Ked. 



The time of sowing raises an important question. There is 

 the choice of two seasons — autumn or spring, but all available 

 results of experiment bear out the contention that the early sown 

 •grain does better. In the College Trials in 1917/1918 the yields 

 were : — > ^r^ i^ a 



Yield per Acre. 



Time of Sovnng. Corn. Straw. 



bush. cwt. 



30th September 84 43 



13th October 30 39 



6th -November 20 36 



20th November ... ... Crop a failure. 



Considering the present price of seed, much remains to be done 

 in checking the present annual waste. The reduction of a hajf 

 to three-quarter bushel of seed per acre over the country would 

 mean a saving of £1,000,000 per annum. 



