746 



Plant Breeding at Aberystwyth. 



[Nov., 



varieties as possible, and as a result of valuable help given 

 from numerous sources, as many as 154 varieties have been 

 included in these trials.* In order to test the purity and 

 trueness to type of the varieties as obtainable on the market, 

 several " lots " of all the more important varieties have been 

 grown. The oats were sown in the field in thin drills 20 ft. 

 long and 14 in. apart, all the beds being divided by rye paths. 

 This trial was set up in the middle of about a 3-acre breadth 

 allocated to oat experiments, and the rye paths made the 

 whole a homogeneous cereal field. The effects of edges were 

 thus obviated and damage from birds lessened.! As an 

 additional safeguard a small patch of each variety was sown 

 in the cage, but this has proved not to have been necessary, 

 for the " take " in the field has been excellent, and birds 

 have not proved unduly troublesome. 



This is not the place to anticipate the results that have been 

 derived from the work. The systematic study of oat varieties is 

 being undertaken by Mr. C. V. B. Marquand, who has approached 

 the problem not only from the point of view of the systematist, 

 but also with regard to the agricultural potentiahties of the 

 several varieties. It is hoped to publish a full report of the work 

 in due course. 



It is interesting to remark, however, that the cultivated 

 varieties of Avena sterilis have proved to be considerably earlier 

 than the A. sativa varieties grown in this country. Thus, the 

 ■ Algerian oat sown on 8th December came into ear 21 days earlier 

 than both winter and spring varieties sown on 6th November. 

 Burt, Bed Bust Proof and the Algerian oat sown with the other 

 varieties in drills in the field on 22nd March were the first to 

 come into ear and ripen, being at least six days earlier than any 

 of the A. sativa varieties normally grown in this country. 



The yield trials were conducted on the small plot plan. Bod 

 plots sown at the rate of 3,000,000 grains per acre have been 

 employed, with rye-dividing paths. About 40 varieties, involving 

 150 rod plots, have been tested this season. The American 



* Thanks are due in particular to Dr. Taylor, Chief of the Bureau of 

 Plant Industry, A¥ashington ; Professor Zavitz, of tlie Agricultural College, 

 Ontario ; Dr. Dorph Petersen, of Copenhagen ; Dr. Trabut, of Algiers ; to 

 Messrs. Vihnorin, of Paris, and Messrs. Haage Schmidt, of Erfurt, for help 

 in the collection of foreign samples ; to Dr. W. G. Smith, Mr. T. Anderson, 

 Mr. C. B. Saunders, Professor White, and Mr. G. Miln, of Cartons, War- 

 rington ; and to the following seedsmen : — Messi s. Temperley, Dunn, Toogood, 

 Webb and Carter, for assistance in the collection of both foreign and British 

 samples. 



tThe cereal path plan is largely adopted at Svalof, and the experience 

 of the present season has proved it to be an excellent procedure. 



