Report on the Competition for Seed-lVJieaf, 1883. bOl 
been reserved for comparison, and each portion was to be 
cultivated in one of four localities in England differing in soil 
and climate, and the prize was to be given to that which showed 
the best results, if the Judges considered that the winning 
variety possessed qualities which entitled it to distinction. 
The characteristics of the competing grains are described by 
their respective owners as follows : — No. 1 was sent in by 
M. Henry Vilmorin, Verrieres le Buisson, Dept. Seine et Oise, 
France, under the name " Dattel Wheat." It was described as 
having a white, large, and full grain, a beardless ear, broad and 
of medium length, red or brown chaff, and a white straw of 
medium height and very strong and stiff. It was raised from 
a cross effected purposely between " Ble Chiddam d'automne a 
epi rouge" and "Ble Prince Albert," in 1874. About a dozen 
plants were produced from as many fertile seeds, the best seed 
only was kept, and when the variety was well fixed it was 
called " Dattel wheat." It bears some resemblance to " Ble 
Chiddam a epi rouge," but is superior in every respect to that 
variety. The seed sent for competition was grown at Verrieres. 
No. 2 was sent in by Messrs. James Carter and Co., 237, High 
Holborn, London, under the name " Seedling White Wheat — 
Carter's No. 1." It was described as having a plump grain of 
fine quality and colour, and thin skin ; a close-set grain, not liable 
to thresh during windy weather ; and a stiff, long, firm, and bright 
straw, which does not layer in wet weather. This wheat was 
selected by Messrs. Carter some two or three years back, from 
a red variety raised by Mr. Wilkin. 
The samples were carefully weighed and measured before 
they were sent from the Society's office. The weight per bushel 
of No. 1 was 611 lbs., and of No. 2, G2J lbs. 
The gentlemen who undertook to grow the experimental 
samples on the previous occasion were good enough to under- 
take the trials again. The samples were accordingly sent 
to Mr. James Edwards, of Wood horn Manor, Morpeth, Nor- 
thumberland ; Mr. Charles Randell, of Chadbury, Evesham, 
Worcestershire ; Mr. James Rawlence, of Bulbridge, Wilton, 
Wiltshire ; and to Mr. W. J. Maiden, the manager of Crawley 
Mill Farm, Woburn, Bedfordshire — the farm placed by the Duke 
of Bedford at the service of the Society for experimental 
purposes. These localities fairly represent the different cli- 
matic conditions of the wheat-growing districts. The soils 
also were varied ; it was a stiff boulder clay at Mr. Edwards's 
farm, an open clay at Mr. Randell's farm, a thin soil resting on 
the chalk at Mr. Rawlence's farm, and a very light sand resting 
on sand at Crawley Mill Farm. Each grower received 46 lbs. 
of the first variety, and 47 lbs. of the second variety, and a peck 
