NEW WHEAT VARIETY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21315, 7 November 1934, Page 7

NEW WHEAT VARIETY

j CROSS 7 j t An event of considerable interest to wheat growers is the decision of the Council of the Wheat Research Institute to release the variety known as Cross 7 for commercial sowing next season, says Mr W. W. Mulholland in the November issue of the "Wheatgrower." The decision was scarcely made known before the whole of the seed likely to be available was applied for, so keen are fanners to get. some of this variety for trial. The release of this wheat marks a milestone in [ the plant-breeding- work of the instij tute, in that it is the first variety j to be actually bred by them to be rej leased. All other improved varieties | have been obtained entirely by selecj tion from existing strains, but Cross 7 j is the result of crossing two distinct j varieties, and then careful selections jof the resulting progeny over several i generations. Cross 7 has shown itself ion the average to be fully equal to ! Tuscan in yield and superior in qual- ■ fl° ur an d several other characj teristics. There have, however, been | some districts where it has not been ; so satisfactory, as is the case with all j other varieties, but generally speaking, j where Tuscan is the best wheat to !• grow, Cross 7 has also done well. A • more definite demarcation of districts | where it is suitable must await its j actual use on a commercial scale. Dr. i Frankel is firmly of opinion that it | will prove a superior quality wheat to j Hunters, and probably equal to the ; best Pearl and Velvet, while lie bej lieves it 1o be more wind resistant i that Tuscan. Of course, many wheats , of which great hopes were held have j failed when grown under commercial ; conditions, and Cross 7 may be another j in this category. But I do not think so. It has been subjected to such a lengthy trial period and tried over such a wide area that any weakness could hardly have escaped detection. A wheat as prolific as Tuscan and of as good baking quality as Velvet must be of great importance to the industry. To the farmer, because quality offers the best way of keeping out unwanted imports of foreign flour; to the miller, because it will enable him to constantly make a high quality flour; and to the baker, because he can get the quality of bread he desires with certainty and the roinimuca ei£ effoi% I