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Similarly, a great deal of work has been done for millers on other lines than those mentioned above, in connection with the difficulties arising out of the 1932 harvest. Wheatgrowers have been assisted by numerous moisture and other tests made of their grain, replies have been received to many direct inquiries, and regular articles have been contributed to the press in the wheatgrowing districts concerning points of interest in the growing and production of good-quality wheat. The Act establishing the Institute expires at the end of 1933. The contributory bodies have all been consulted as to their willingness to continue their levies, and the replies to hand have been almost unanimously favourable. Cabinet is to be requested to bring down legislation to carry the Institute on for another five years. NOXIOUS WEEDS RESEAECH. Advisory Committee : Professor H. B. Kirk (Chairman), Mr. A. H. Cockayne, Mr. Q. Donald, Dr. F. W. Hilgendorf. Director of Research : Dr. David Miller. Though the period of the Empire Marketing Board's grant for the furtherance of biological control of weeds expired on the 31st March, 1932, there was an unexpended balance sufficient for prosecuting the researches on a modified scale for a further twelve months ; the Board consented to this balance being so utilized. On the 31st March, 1933, therefore, the funds for Noxious Weeds Research ceased ; however, as researches in relation to ragwort and piripiri have reached a critical stage and show possibilities of giving positive results, it is understood that Dr. Miller has made other arrangements for continuing the activities after the expiry of the grant. During the year the major activities were confined to the work on the ragwort seed-fly (Pegohylemyia jacobaeae) and the piripiri saw-fly (Antholcus varinervis). In the case of the former a very large consignment was received during November from Farnham Royal ; so far it has been found that a fly will usually place only one egg in a head, and the maggot developing from the egg will destroy all the seeds in that head. The evidence gathered to date shows the great possibilities of this fly as a check to the seeding of ragwort. With regard to the piripiri saw-fly, the season's operations further confirm the importance of this insect as a factor in markedly reducing the burrs of the weed ; in this alone the insect would play a very important role, but if it became sufficiently well established it would also act as an invaluable check to the whole plant. Although lack of funds prevented a field survey being made, it is believed that the gorse-seed weevil (Afion ulicis) is establishing in the areas where it was liberated in Otago. Owing to the unseasonable flowering of gorse in most parts of New Zealand it is in the Southern districts alone, where flowering takes place in the summer, that the weevil will have an opportunity of actively checking the seeding of gorse. The utilization of the Buprestid beetle (Coraebus rubi) against blackberry has been considered unsafe owing to the tendency of the beetle to attack the foliage of apple-trees. Furthermore, though blackberry-canes are heavily infested by the larvae, it has been found that the canes are capable of developing fresh shoots even from points within the region damaged by the insect. The researches carried on into the biological control of noxious weeds in New Zealand during the past six years have brought to light many features of biological importance, and, in the face of many negative results, have resulted in showing that there is every possibility of two species of weeds— ragwort and piripiri—out of the four dealt with during the researches, being successfully controlled, while a partial success is to be expected in the case of a third (gorse). PHORMIVM RESEARCH. 1. The work done during the past year has been only such as could be carried out at a minimum of expense. Nevertheless, the scheme outlined at the beginning of the investigations has progressed in a general way according to plan. The provision of labour under No. 5 Scheme of the Unemployment Board has enabled a great deal of work to be done at low cost. 2. Selection and Testing of Varieties. —The primary object of the investigation was, of course, to select the best varieties after comparative tests of their cropping-power and fibre qualities. This work had resulted in the collection and planting of over 250 varieties before the depression set in. Subsequent work on these varieties has fortunately involved little expense up to the present, since it has been necessary to await their growth to millable age. Nevertheless, a great deal of useful information has been gathered by observation of these plants with respect to such features as vigour of growth, habit of growth, susceptibility to disease, and the date and frequency of flowering. So far as yield and quality of fibre are concerned, it has been possible to obtain only a rough idea by using the Maori hand-stripping method. From such observations it has been possible to narrow down to some twenty or thirty the varieties which are worthy of more careful study as fibre plants. Many of the others are likely to be of use in breeding work, so that as a rule three or four plants of each are still kept. A stage has now been reached, however, at which it seems necessary to arrive at some decision as to the future course of the work on these plants. The area of 1 acre of the Ngaro variety has now been planted four years. In spite of its having been set out in land which is not normally considered ideal for flax, this area has grown well and should be cut and stripped in the coming season. Its fibre should be worthy of sending for thorough tests abroad, and the fans can, if necessary, be broken up to plant as much as 12 acres. In yield of leaf and fibre quality combined, this is probably the best commercial variety available. The fear that yellow-leaf disease would ruin the crop has not been realized. A few plants in the area were killed by the disease, but the remainder are growing well, in spite of the land being of a type which is particularly favourable to development of the disease.

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