H.—29.

Garden Peas. —Acre lots of nine varieties were grown under order for various merchants to replace their deteriorated stocks. The demand for good seed is very keen, and the area devoted to this crop could well be increased. Breeding has been confined to two crosses from which F3 and F4 seed was harvested. The , following results indicate promise in the yield column. Cross 11 : (Greenfeast x Harrison's Glory) x Greenfeast. Cross 8 : Greenfeast x Great Crop (Yorkshire Hero).

Field Peas. —A wide range of crosses between varieties of field peas and between field and garden peas is being worked with. Unfortunately two adverse seasons have been experienced, and although some progress has been made, it has been impossible to evaluate at all satisfactorily the material on hand. Potatoes. —Trials are being undertaken of several recent introductions including the American varieties Chippewa and Katahdin. Several hundred crosses were made between Solanum andiginum (a wild species from South America) and standard commercial varieties. From these about eighty fruits were saved and it is intended to explore the possibilities of these hybrids next season. Lucerne. —Breeding commenced in 1931. By in-breeding and selection it has been possible to advance along two lines. In the first, those parents which have given consistently good in-bred progenies were grouped according to type, and the parents crossed one with the other. The PI progenies of these crosses have been under trial this past season and have given, over a period of three outs, substantial increases over Marlborough commercial. Marlborough commercial = 100. 14 PI families of flat types range from 114-9 to 137-9 (average) = 128-1. 14 Fl families of upright types range from 97-3 to 123-0 (average) = 108-9. 40 Fl families of intermediate types range from 99-2 to 146-1 = 124-1. Plants have been selected from within the best Fl families and these will be used for strain building. In the flat and intermediate groups only those families above 130 will be used and in the tall only those above 110. Secondly, the best plants within the best in-bred progenies have been grouped according to type and unrelated plants intercrossed necessitating 260 separate crosses. Since the plants and families utilized were selected on account of their uniformity and small loss of vigour on in-breeding, it is hoped, by further inbreeding and combination, to build up strains of good type that will lose only the least possible vigour on self-fertilization. Investigations in connection with the pollination of lucerne have been completed and the results are being published. Bape,— Each year an attempt is made to raise mother seed for distribution to growers who are producing seed commercially under certification. A measure of improvement has been attained each year as indicated by yield trials conducted this past season. Best commercial giant rape = 100. Mother seed distributed for 1934-35 = 107-4. Mother seed distributed for 1935-36 = 116-0. Mother seed distributed for 1936-37 = 122-4. Mother seed for distribution for 1937-38 = 125-6. An attempt has been made to combine in one cross the best features of giant and broad-leaf Essex rapes. This has been to a large extent successful. The type has been improved and is associated with a marked increase in production. Best commercial giant = 100. (Giant x broad-leaf Essex) x giant = 122-6. Best commercial broad-leaf Essex = 100. " (Giant x broad-leaf Essex) x broad-leaf Essex = 128-0. Brassica Crosses. —Some 259 intervarietal and interspecific crosses have been made during the past season. Certain of these have as a direct objective the breeding for resistance to club-root. Hybrid Vigour in Tomatoes.—The combination in PI of early maturity in association with high yield that characterized the preliminary work warranted further investigation and fifty-nine crosses between seven varieties have been made. It is hoped that estimates of hybrid vigour attending these crosses will be undertaken next season. Miscellaneous Trials. — A variety trial with soya beans was undertaken and has revealed much preliminary information in regard to yield, maturity, and synonymity. Several selections of onions were seeded, and sufficient seed is now available for yield trials next season. Austrian winter field peas have proved to be very resistant to severe winter conditions, and superior in this respect to Partridge. Seed is being increased for distribution. Trials of vetches and tares indicate that purple vetch and woolly-podded vetch may prove useful varieties in New Zealand. Safflower, a new oil-bearing plant, was tried out for the first time. It grows to perfection at Palmerston North; but owing to the spiny and unpalatable nature of the plant it was deemed unwise to extend these trials and the plot was destroyed. Maize variety trials were destroyed during a severe storm.

46

Pnri loncrtVi Pooo tipi- Pnj Weight per Yield Seed per . ±-ocl length. Teas per Fod. Hundred Seeds. Plant. Inches. Grams. Grams. Parent Greenfeast .. .. .. 3-75 8-5 28-6 37-5 Parent Great Crop .. .. .. 3-25 5-6 43-4 52-0 16 families Cross 11 .. .. •■ 3-6 7-1 32-0 64-0 8 families Cross 8 .. .. .. 3-5 7-7 34-5 74-0