304 Report on the Competition for Seed Wheat, 1885. 
" Square-head Wheat," the three plots being cultivated under 
the same conditions. 
Air. Maiden sowed his samples on the 14th of November, his 
ordinary crop, " Browick Wheat," having been put in the ground 
on the 23rd of October, The land on which the competition- 
samples were grown is a very light, loose sand, with a sandy 
subsoil. This piece of ground was chosen because it was the 
only piece available that was sufficiently uniform in its soil to 
give trustworthy results. It was, however, much overrun with 
poppies and mare's tail. The previous crop was cabbages, 
which were intended to have been fed off on the land, but, as they 
were late and not fit to consume, they were carted off, and the 
land consequently left in a very poor condition. Ten tons of 
dung were applied to the acre, and the wheat was dibbled in. It 
came up well, but was attacked by a small white grub, which 
thinned the plant ; and though it showed well in the spring, 
there was only about three-quarters of a plant on either crop. 
The birds were troublesome as the wheat began to ripen, for this 
was the earliest piece of corn in the neighbourhood. 
Mr. Edwards sowed his samples on November 27th. The 
soil was a strong loam of considerable depth, and uniform 
throughout the plots on which the competition-samples and his 
own crop were sown. The field is nearly level, and is well 
drained. The land was in good condition. A heavy crop of 
swedes had just been carted off. They had received a dressing 
of 25 loads of foldyard-manure, and 4 cwt. of mineral super- 
phosphate to the acre. The weather had prevented the swedes 
being removed till very late in the season. The land then 
received one furrow, and the wheats were carefully sown broad- 
cast by hand, on two parallel half-acre crops, and the ordinary 
crop, " White chaff Red Wheat," was sown on a third similar 
plot, through which, however, there was a public footpath. 
The land was rather damp at the sowing ; a single with the 
harrow was given that day, and a double across the next. There 
was very little show of plant on any of the plots through the 
winter and spring. M. Vilmorin's " Dattel Wheat" took the 
lead at first, having the best colour and strength of flag, but the 
ordinary crop was most promising as harvest approached. The 
appearance of Carter's " Seedling White Wheat " did not give 
promise of such a good crop as it turned out. They all ripened 
at the same time. They had been very much laid and tangled 
by the strong wind and rain. Carter's " Seedling White Wheat " 
was least injured, and had consequently the advantage at har- 
vest. The cutting was a difficult and untidy job, and a good 
deal both of the straw and grain was left on the ground. 
The dates of cutting varied. Mr. llawlence, in the south of 
