460 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [sept., 



the native variety yielded 48 bushels compared with 32-44 bushels obtained 

 from various malting barleys. 



Varieties of Barley {Field 'Ex fits, at Harper- Adams Coll., 1907). — Nine 

 varieties were grown at this college in 1907, and the yields per acre in bushels 

 (56 lb.) were as follows : — Archers, 49 ; Goldthorpe, 43! ; New Binder, 43 ; 

 Binder, 39 ; Standwell, 38^ ; Champion Chevalier, 38^ ; Thousandfold, 37 ; 

 Prolific, 35 : and Ideal, 31. A report is given of their malting qualities. 



Varieties of Barley {Beds. C. C, Rept. on Demonstratio?t Plots, 1907). — 

 These experiments were made on light sandy ground and the results confirm 

 those of previous years, Goldthorpe (Carter) and Kinver Chevalier (Webb) 

 again taking the first two places as regards yield and quality. Either, it is 

 stated, will answer well on light, sandy land. 



Varieties of Barley {Univ. of Leeds, Bull. 7 1, 1908). — Tests with varieties 

 ■of barley have been conducted at Garforth since 1901, and Brewer's 

 Favourite, Goldthorpe, Standwell and Chevalier have been grown over the 

 whole period. There was little difference between the average yields of 

 saleable corn from these varieties, and the choice among them would depend 

 to a great extent upon the previous crop. As regards quality Standwell took 

 the first place on three occasions, Chevalier on two occasions, and Gold- 

 thorpe on one occasion. Brewer's Favourite has not been altogether satis- 

 factory, but it took the second place in 1906 and 1907. 



Cereal Breeding Experime?tts {Cambridge Univ. Dept., of Agric., Guide 

 to Expis., 1907;. — Experiments are in progress with wheat and barley with 

 the object of building up new types in which the yielding power and quality 

 will be better than that of the varieties in cultivation. 



The varieties selected during the preliminary trials have been crossed 

 with the idea of combining together their good features and eliminat- 

 ing those which from a farmer's point of view are objectionable. These 

 crosses have given a number of new varieties, the most promising of which 

 are now thoroughly fixed. Milling and baking trials have been carried 

 out, the results of which show that the "strength" of these new varieties is 

 far superior to that of any English wheat at present in cultivation. In fact 

 the grain should bring much the same prices as the best imported Canadian 

 varieties. Stocks of some of these varieties are now being grown to test their 

 cropping capacity. An attempt is also being made to breed wheats which 

 shall be resistant to yellow-rust. Experiments with barleys are proceeding 

 •on the same lines and a few new varieties have been obtained which appear 

 to be of satisfactory quality. 



Varieties of Oats {Univ. of Leeds, Bull. 71, 1908). — Tests of varieties of 

 oats have been conducted at Garforth, near Leeds, since 1900. Each season 

 the varieties that gave the biggest crops in the previous year were again 

 tested, and along with them any new varieties placed on the market, whilst 

 those that did not crop satisfactorily were discarded. Of the 1 1 varieties 

 tested in 1900 only three appear in the list for 1907. It appears that Storm 

 King, Tartar King, Waverley, and Abundance are the best cropping white 

 oats, and Excelsior the best cropping black oat. Among those more recently 

 introduced, with good results, are Beseler's Prolific, Thousand Dollar, 

 Scottish Chieftain, Universal, and Wide Awake. The varieties were also 

 compared as regards percentage of husk, and it was found that thin-skinned 

 varieties, like Waverley and Abundance, though yielding a smaller number of 

 bushels per acre than thick-skinned varieties like Storm King and Tartar 

 King, produced as much, if not a greater, weight of food-stuff. 



