WHEAT RESEARCH

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 283, 24 August 1940, Page 17

WHEAT RESEARCH

Annual Report Of Institute The seventh annual report of the Wheat Research Institute, Christchurch, has coiue to hand. This is a well gotup anil compiled booklet of 21l pages, and should prove highly interesting to all wheatgrowers, bakerts and Ilourniillers.

Of wider interest i.s the nature of the organization responsible, the Wheat Research Committee, set up within the organization of the Council of the Scientific and Industrial Research Department. The committee comprises 15 members, of whom the wheatgrowers, the bakers and the flourmillers provide nine, three from each, the S.I.R. provides the chairman and one other, and a single representative is provided from each of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Industries and Commerce, the Grain Merchants' Association and Canterbury Agricultural College (Lincoln). The institute employs a staff of 10 or 11 experts, who work on problems ranging from seed wheat preparation right through every phase of the industry to the baking of bread. To a layman it is surprising to read of the laboratory work on wheats, flour, aud by-products and learn how far from simple arc these in chemical reaction, etc.

In crop reports special mention is made of a record crop of ,111.7 bushels an acre, certified to area' and yield, of Cross 7. 'This was secured from a 74 acre paddock in Otautau, Southland. This New Zealand-bred wheat has had a wonderful expansion, from 84 acres grown five yeans ago to 100,000 acres last, season. Variety recommendations for the North Island are:—Wairarapa and drier Hawke’s Bay areas. Tuscan. Cross 7. and Hunters; Rangitikei and Manawnlti, jumhiick obviously still the host wheat, but Tainui warrants observation.