A THOUSAND VARIETIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 246, 17 October 1929, Page 24

A THOUSAND VARIETIES.

WHEAT CULTIVATION. EXPERIMENTS IN SOUTH ISLAND. IMPROVING STANDARD OF CROPS. STABILISING THE INDUSTRY. Wheat-growers and millers in New Zealand have not been satisfied to rest content since a sliding scale of wheat duties was introduced by the Government to bring stability to the industry, but in the past 12 months have pursued an active programme of research in etTorts to improve the grade of their crops, and incidentally that of the commodity which reaches the community in the shape of the daily loaf. This fact was mentioned yesterday by Mr. C. H. Hewlett, of Christehurch. who is a member of the council of the Lincoln College Plant Kesearch and Wheat Research institutes. Mr. Hewlett, who was making a business visit to Auckland, returned South on Tuesday. ''I don't suppose any industry has been so harassed as the wheat industry since 1914, and the crying need has been for stability," said Mr. Hewlett. "To ensure this ideal, a sliding scale of wheat duties was established by the Government. Immediately that was done the growers, millers, bakers and representatives of the Scientific Research Department con/erred, and set up a Wheat Research Institute, with the object oi improving the yields of crops and the quality of bread, increasing production, and cheapening the cost of the loaf to consumers. Five Thousand Plots Sown. The committee of the institute is composed of scientists, fanners, millers and business men nominated by the Scientilic Research Department, and its chairman is Dr. H. G. Denham, professor of chemistry at Canterbury College. Dr. F. W. Hildendorf, also of Canterbury College, is director in charge of the institute, which has fitted up a laboratory and secured the services of a Canadian scientist, Mr. H. E. West, to aid it in its investigations. Mr. O. li. Frankel. foriherly of Cambridge University, is the plant breeder. Last year at Lincoln College alone the institute sowed lllMi different varieties of wheat gathered from all parts of the world, with the object of testing their qualities both for bread-making and yield. Nearly ofXlO plots were sown, ranging in size from a single row to ten acres. This rear we will have considerably over iiOUO plots. It is possible to eliminate on sight some of the crops as unsuitable for New Zealand conditions, but the balance will be harvested, analysed for protein contents, and full particulars catalogued as to their growing qualities and the effect of different manures upon them. The various types of grain will then be milled, and each separate lot of flour made into bread, necessary tests being carried out at varying stuge*. Both at Lincoln and Canterbury Colleges, the Wheat Research Institute and Mie Plant Research Institute are carrying out experiments in collaboration with each other.

Locality Trials. "When a certain number of varieties have been selected as the best yielders and most suitable for bread-making, locality trials will be conducted to determine the localities best suited for the crowing of the different types of grain. Tests will also be made to ascertain the. most suitable manures. When this work is accomplished, the purest strains will be bred from single head selections. The seed will be subjected to treatment to eliminate certain diseases with a view to cultivating pure, disease-free strains capable of giving increased yields and improved quality. In the face of all these experiments, we claim that the wheat-growers are not remaining idle under the.protection of the sliding duties, but are making a genuine effort to increase production and cheapen the cost of bread. All that is asked is that we should be allowed sufficient time to work out,our salvation under the present protection." The point that the experiments that are being carried out 'in the South Island are likely to prove invaluable to the dairying industry, particularly in the Xorth. was stressed.by Mr. Hewlett. "Sterility in dairy cows is costing Xew Zealand approximately £300,000 a year," he said,_ "and the most hopeful method of treating it is by the administration of Vitamin E, which can be extracted from the wheat germ. The necessary apparatus for carrying out this work has already been erected in the laboratory fit Christchurch, and the extraction of Vitamin E has been in progress for over n month. A cure for.sterility." ho added, "will bo of enormous benefit to the dairy:ng industry of the Dominion; ,,