H.—34.

(b) Improvement in Spray Programmes. (See Fruit Research report, page 45.) (c) Improvements in Orchard-disease Control. (See Fruit Research report, page 45.) (d) Certification of Therapeutants. (See Fruit Research report, page 45.) 111. Timber Preservation. (See Timber Protection Research, page 58.) IV. Pomology Investigations. (See Fruit Research report, page 45.) V. Miscellaneous. (1) Kumara Varieties. —Although the past season has been a poor one, a fair crop of tubers was harvested from the numerous varieties which were imported from overseas for test under New Zealand conditions. The heaviest cropping variety proved to be Belesilika, a selection from the Cook Islands. Makusi, from the same source, also bore a heavy crop of large roots, although the varieties grown commercially in New Zealand —Blackberry and Tauranga Red —came close to them in productivity. Samples of all varieties were stored and examined periodically, the local variety, Blackberry, proving to be a good keeper, as were also Norton, Red Bermuda, Early Butter, Southern Queen, and Porto Rica. Promising varieties will be tried out in the main kumara-growing districts next season. Some of the early ones may prove of value in extending the cultivation range of this crop to districts where the season is not sufficiently long to permit other more slow growing ones to reach maturity. (2) Daphne-mosaic.—lnarching experiments have shown that a mosaic condition of the leaf of daphne may be transmitted to healthy plants, suggesting that the condition is of virus origin. (3) Pyrethrum Production.—Work has been extended to ascertain the effect of locality on the pyrethrin content of pyrethrum flowers. Analyses made from flowers grown at Auckland, Ruakura, and Palmers ton North showed that the pyrethrin content of any one strain is not consistent in the three localities, but nevertheless a straiu which showed a high content in one locality also showed a relatively high content in the others. On the average there was no marked difference in the pyrethrin content of flowers grown in the three localities. Flowers from three strains grown in an additional eight localities in North and. South Islands have been harvested and forwarded to the Dominion Laboratory for analysis. (4) Huapai Experimental Orchard. —At the conclusion of this season's work (May) the three-year period for which this orchard was taken expires. As the orchard has been offered for sale, it will be necessary for the Division to procure an area elsewhere. The trees in the orchard are growing vigorously and most varieties carry a heavy crop, indicating the successful manner in which neglected areas of the type can be brought into successful commercial production. The variety Gravenstein has not responded to treatment, however, since trees, in common with most others of the variety grown in Auckland, are affected by a condition known as " strangulation (5) Owairaka Area. —The whole area is now under cultivation, most being planted to permanent crops and trees, save those portions reserved for annual cropping. A stationary spray plant, electrically driven, was installed during the winter, and the entire area reticulated with piping. Two additional glasshouses and an insectary were erected, bringing the total to five. A soil-sterilizing shed was erected and a 4-horse-power boiler installed, so that facilities are now available for steam disinfecting all soil used in the glasshouses, an essential in investigational work. Despite the unfavourable season, most crops have grown well, fruit-trees especially so. GRASSLANDS DIVISION, PALMERSTON NORTH. Director : E. Bruce Levy. All phases of activity of the Grasslands Division have tended to increase and a very full year's work has been successfully accomplished. The work may be enumerated in the following sections. (1) Plant Breeding and Strain Studies. (a) Improvement of Types. Improvement of type of the following : (1) Perennial rye-grass ; (2) short-rotation rye-grass ; (3) Italian rye-grass; (4) white clover; (5) Montgomery red clover; (6) broad red clover; (7) timothy. The pedigree seed production stage has been reached in regard to perennial rye-grass, Italian rye-grass, white clover, and Montgomery red clover. Seed increases have been made of the shortrotation rye-grass selection and No. 2 white clover selection for extensive field trials. Breeding work in regard to broad red clover is well advanced. The work on timothy has just commenced. The above study has involved the raising, planting, and study of approximately seventy-five thousand single plants.

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