WONDERS OF A NEW WHEAT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 197, 10 August 1908, Page 4

WONDERS OF A NEW WHEAT

A practical experiment of vital interest to farmeis, and, indeed, to the country generally, has just reached a most suceesslul conclusion on some ol the JSorlolK farms in the neighborhood ol tNuidriuglium (says liie L-ondon O-tHy Man). A second experiment, pi-map more vital fctiil, id ill progress, and wih be Open to the lillle*t lent when blie harvest ripen*. The first experiment is in wheal; the second in oais. -d. | \ lumorm, most famous ot all French! seedsmen, Jms recently found and produced a series ot wheats ol exceptional quality, lhesc, alter the most carelul uiid ingenious system of selection, haw' been developed in England by Mr. Liias. xUacters, of Jiast Lynn, wii-n surprising results. At Wanwam Uvery is a large held ot "-"X'nsaih.-ii' —a wheat now heard of iu Lngland lor the lirst nine—winch ha.? iieen ill lull ear for ten or so. Whatever weather we get it will be ripe in six or seven veoks, a fortnight be-' foro it.ngli>h wlients sown at the feumv time under similar conditions. 'ihe straw is wonderfully strong, and the. ear full, and as luuctii as seven and anaif tquarters have been grown off land in no way specially prepared! Tli:» experiments seem to have been proved: the fact uf this early maturity, which may mean the salvation of a harvest, secondly, that the transference of a grain iruni oue country to another adds very largely lo its quality.''

Fanners in the north of France are re-purchasing *onio of these French wheats for seed purposes. They have visited Norfolk ami secu with delight the success of this latest •'Seiuatiou." Even 011 lat-o land the forwardness is astonishing. The kcnn.4 •is very much larger than tile popular Eng-' lish wheats, llie straw liriner and not too long, and the fact of the wulk'i maturity cannot be doubted. ufc"Marvel' wheal,, also from Franco, and liie predecessor of the "Sensation," ha;* another peculiar quality—it can be sown with as good results in tlio spring as in ilie autuiihi. Une piece of uvciw acres sown as late as March 2-'!— an absurdly JaU» date to sow wheat—" growing w«*ll on Mr. Overman's farm at Jupton. Do farms nearly 4000 acrL's at Norfolk, and lirmiy believes that tJie French wheals ni'e going to do great things for the fanner. It is on his farm that the seemur experiment is in progress. Two years ago Mr. Masters obtained 2011 > ol' a- huskless o.it from Chma. From this lie obtained fortyeight stone, all of which after selection was sown anil N promising a good yield. Nothing like this oaf has Invu seen before. Except in shape, it reseihbles a wheat grain. It i 3 entirely free from husk, and "weights some 30 per cent, more per bushel than dance" or any other good oats. It may i)« that it will prove the first "porridge oats" grown in the. south; but the experimental stage is not yet passed. For the moment it is merely a marvel of exceptional interest. Its utility awaits further test.