WHEAT RESEARCH.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20477, 1 December 1934, Page 30 (Supplement)

WHEAT RESEARCH.

Visitor Impressed by Achievements. Warm praise of the work in wheat research that is being done at the Canterbury Agricultural College at Lincoln was expressed by Mr W. J. Spafford, Deputy-Director of Agriculture for South Australia, who, with Colonel C. P. Butler, of Adelaide, made a brief inspection yesterday. Mr Spafford, who is one of the most prominent of the Australian wheat breeders, said that his State was particularly interested in whsat and he believed that Dr Frankel had achieved remarkable results. Mr Spafford said that at Lincoln College there was a wonderful collection of experimental plots and it appeared as though they were close to attaining their objective, which was the production of a wheat giving as good a yield as the New Zealand standard wheat but possessing a much higher bread-making quality. This particular variety, w’hich was known as “ Cross 7,” should be eagerly looked forward to by wheatgrowers. Mr Spafford was very interested in the live stock and especially the pigs. He was privileged to see some animals that are being prepared for the Royal Show in Invercargill. He was impressed, too, by the quality of the sheep and particularly by the English Leicesters, a ram of outstanding quality being shown in the best of show condition. Mr Spafford was especially interested in Lincoln College, because Professor Lowry, who was originally principal of the Roseworthy Agricultural College in South Australia, was transferred to Lincoln and was there for a number of years, while the present chairman of the Land Board in South Australia, Mr W. J. Colebatch, was at one time the veterinary surgeon at Lincoln College. “ Unfortunately,” said Mr Spafford, “ time did not permit us thoroughly to examine the pure seed station which is controlled by Mr R. Thompson, an officer of the Agricultural Department.” He added that the party saw enough to be able to congratulate Mr Thompson on the work that was being carried out.