In a study of two coarse wool breeds (Awassi and Karadi) and their reciprocal crosses, data were obtained on the mean fibre length, mean fibre diameter, fibre type ratio, medullation and on the effect of some environmental factors on these traits. Reciprocal crosses showed intermediate values, in growth rate of fibres, percentages of fibre types and medullation, between those of the parental breeds. Sex exhibited a significant effect at weaning only, on fibre length. Heterosis in fibre length, at the two ages, was small and negative. Maternal influence on fibre length was small and not significant. Fibre length in Karadi sheep showed the highest frequency of bimodal distribution whereas Awassi showed the lowest. Awassi × Karadi was closer to Karadi and Karadi × Awassi had greater affinity to Awassi in the frequency of samples showing bimodal distribution.

Reciprocal crosses had larger diameter, at weaning, than those of the parental breeds. At 1 year of age they assumed an intermediate position between the pure bred parents.

At weaning, the two reciprocal crosses showed a highly significant heterosis in fibre diameter; its value decreased with advancing age and it showed no significant effect at 1 year of age.

Maternal influence on fibre diameter was very small and not significant.

Karadi × Awassi and Karadi samples had the highest percentage of samples showing bimodal distribution of fibre diameter.

Samples with bimodal distribution of both length and diameter, indicating two coats, had the highest frequency in Karadi followed by Karadi × Awassi; Awassi showed the lowest value.

Percentages of fine, coarse and kemp fibres were significantly affected by breed and age of dam. Type of birth showed a significant effect only on percentage of coarse fibres.

Karadi wool might be more suitable for carpet manufacturing. It excelled the other groups in the bimodal distribution of both length and diameter as well as in medullation. Cross-breeding increased the bimodality of fibre distribution.

The phenological development from sowing to flowering of the eaxly maize hybrid INRA 200 is related to the weather conditions. Plot trial data from Wytham, near Oxford, England, and weather information from that and nearby sites formed the basic data.

The mean rate of development per day from sowing to emergence is related by linear correlation analysis to the mean values of soil temperature at 5 cm depth and soil moisture deficit. A range of temperature thresholds for emergence development exist, which depend upon the soil moisture, and which differ from the true physiological threshold.

Between omergence and flowering the mean rate of development per day is related by linear correlation analysis to mean air temperature, solar radiation and potential transpiration estimated from weather data. All correlations are significant, but the parameters which combine radiation and temperature are statistically better.

P and K fertilizers were applied over a 5-year period to plots that were either cut, individually grazed or communally grazed. Residual effects were assessed in the sixth year when the sward was ploughed and sown with Italian ryegrass. The residual study supported the earlier published inference that (a) P returned to the sward in sheep dung is not an effective P source under field conditions, (b) communal grazing can lead to appreciable transfer of K from one plot to another.

1. Four varieties of marrow stem kale, three of thousand headed kale, Hungry Gap Kale, Rape-Kale and five other rape varieties were sampled at two centres in mid-Wales and separate leaf and stem samples analysed for manganese, molybdenum and boron. Similar samples of four varieties of marrow stem kale, two of thousand headed kale, Hungry Gap Kale, Rape-Kale and two other varieties of rape were taken from two further centres and prepared with the most stringent precautions to prevent contamination. Iron, copper, zinc and lead were determined in these samples.

In field drainage waters, Fe(II) can be oxidized to Fe(III), which is precipitated as iron ochre. At a farm near Aberdeen, Scotland, ochre is precipitated both chemically and biologically. The precipitation was delayed using the antibiotic D-threo-chloramphenicol and Cu(II) ions. Iron deposition was delayed on glass slides coated with copper filings. It is suggested that the incorporation and slow release of substances which inhibit ochre formation, from drainage pipe material, would be a valuable method of controlling the ochre problem.

High yielding ruminant livestock require high nutritive value in forage for maintenance, growth and production. Climate change has been documented as impacting on the nutritive value of forage plants. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of increased temperature in combination with CO2-enhancement on the nutritive value of orchard grass (cocksfoot; Dactylis glomerata L.), as a C3 model plant, widespread in mountainous permanent grassland plant communities. Functional traits and forage quality of orchard grass were investigated both under ambient (C0T0) and under simulated, future climate conditions (C2T2) with increased temperature (+3°C) and enhanced CO2 concentration (+300 ppm) under field conditions. Plant samples were taken from each of the three growths over a period of three consecutive years and numerous functional properties and forage quality parameters were determined. Special attention was paid to the determination of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), crude protein (CP), non-protein N (NPN) and metabolizable energy (ME) as possible indicators for different climatic conditions. It is hypothesized that (i) functional traits and (ii) forage quality of orchard grass are altered by increased temperature and higher CO2 concentration. The results showed a negative impact of C2T2 compared to C0T0 on tiller height (54.4 v. 70.6 cm) and weight (2.42 v. 3.22 g) as average over cuts and years. The NPN content was lower in C2T2 (312 g/kg CP) compared to C0T0 (339 g/kg CP). In contrast, the WSC content was higher in C2T2 (90.3 g/kg DM) compared to C0T0 (82.5 g/kg DM). Both ME content and digestibility were increased in C2T2 (9.18 ME/kg DM and 68.2%) compared to C0T0 (8.86 ME/kg DM and 65.4%). Concluding, under increased temperature and enhanced CO2, both functional traits and certain nutrients and their fractions appear to change in orchard grass.

1. Individual birds have a characteristic date for the termination of the egg laying cycle.

2. The date of cessation of production at the end of the pullet year is not a reliable indication of the bird's potentiality in this respect.

3. The longer the birds are retained the greater is the chance of distinguishing the true date.

4. Individual dates for the termination of the cycle occur at so many points throughout the total range (from July to December) that this must either indicate a multiple factor situation or that the genes involved show a considerable range of expression.

In Morocco, sugar-beet seed production represents a new challenge to meet the main breeding programme goals. The identification of a suitable zone for plant vernalization represents a bottleneck for seed production. This study aimed chiefly at evaluating the vernalization aptitude of 18 sugar beet half-sib progenies. Trials were conducted during three selection cycles in a specifically chosen environment. The experimental site of Merchouch is 40 km south-east of Rabat city. Field trials design is according to an open-pollinated experimental block. Yield components and five phenological traits were recorded during the growing cycle and at the plant maturation. The variance analysis showed a significant effect of the selection cycle on the phenological traits and grain yield. The plant cycle duration increased by 10.7 days between the first and the third selection cycles. According to the principal component analysis and the hierarchical clustering, F2, F5, F6, F9, F10, F11, F14 and F15 half-sib progenies are described as long cycle and high grain yield families. Grain yield reached 257.3 g per plant, the duration to maturity 350.6 days and the germination rate 93%. The three selection cycles and the suitability of the site vernalization conditions are potentially effective for seed production progress. Our results are relevant as they established an adequate site for the sugar beet seed production. The half-sib selection is a valuable method for sugar beet germplasm enhancement.

The amount of oil in the diet and its degree of unsaturation are known to exert an important effect on the nature of the fat deposited in the body of the growing pig, foods of high oil content tending to give rise to bacon carcasses containing fat of an undesirably soft and unsaturated character. For this reason, authorities on pig nutrition are agreed on the desirability of excluding from the dietary of the bacon pig all foods containing more than a small percentage of oil. It has been stated that, in order to avoid the danger of producing carcasses with soft fat, the meal ration of the fattening pig should be made up so as to contain no more than about 3% of oil.

This prejudice against the use of feeding stuffs rich in oil has been transferred, somewhat unquestioningly perhaps, to feeding stuffs rich in fat. Feeding meat meal, for example, contains normally from 8 to 10 % of fat, and manufacturers complain of the difficulty of securing sales of this product for pig-feeding on account of the view generally held that its high fat content would occasion the production of soft fat in the resultant bacon or a carcass with an excessive amount of fat. To meet this prejudice, therefore, the meat meal as ordinarily produced is frequently submitted to a process of de-greasing with petroleum benzine at about 200° F. so as to give a meat meal containing about 3% of fat. This procedure, however, not only adds to the cost of the manufacture of meat meal, but may actually lead to a distinct lowering of the digestibility of the product (Woodman & Evans, 1937).

1. Comparisons are made of the results obtained in the analysis of clays, especially of clay fractions separated from soils, by the standard sodium carbonate fusion method and by attack by means of mixed acids. Provided certain precautions are taken, in the latter case, the percentages of silica obtained are shown to be comparable with those given by the fusion method.

2. A possible disadvantage of the acid method is that the attack of the clay is not invariably successful, but treatment of the silica with hydrofluoric acid provides a convenient and reliable means of detecting those cases in which failure occurs. Such clays must be decomposed by fusion with sodium carbonate.

1. The efficiency of food conversion of Brown Leghorn fowls inbred for egg number, or egg size, or egg number and egg size have been compared.

2. Comparison between the lines was made for egg numbers, total egg weight and total egg energy. Egg energy was the best measure of production, total egg weight was the next best and egg number the poorest.

3. When allowance was made for differences in rates of egg production and egg size, there were no differences in the efficiency of conversion of food to eggs between the lines.

4. The standard errors of the means for the analytical data on the twelve replicate mixes of the diet were relatively small, but the range in values was appreciable. The importance of analysing diets in nutrition experiments is stressed, particularly for ‘iso-caloric’ diets.

Seeds of okra were sown in moist soil and subjected to heat stress of 45 °C for 10 h on day 0 (day of sowing), day 1 or day 2 after sowing. Stresses on day 0 and, to a lesser extent, on day 1 promoted hypocotyl elongation and accelerated seedling emergence. Stress on day 2 retarded hypocotyl elongation and did not accelerate emergence. The results were similar for seeds sown at depths of 1, 4 or 7·5 cm. For 10-h stresses on day 0, 40 °C was slightly less promotive than 45 °C; but 50 °C or above resulted in no emergence whatsoever. Subjecting dry seeds to 40–60 °C for 24 h before sowing gave no appreciable acceleration of emergence; instead, at 60 °C there was a 24-h delay in the onset of emergence. Seeds were also incubated for 1·5 h in water at temperatures ranging from 40 to 80 °C. Emergence was accelerated at 40 to 65 °C, with the greatest acceleration at 45 °C. It is suggested that incubating the seeds at 45 °C for 1·5 h before sowing could afford a practical means to accelerate field emergence of okra.

In a comparative study of some factors that influence the body weights of 36 Friesian, 54 Holstein, 22 Holstein-Friesian, 24 Jersey and 17 Brown Swiss calves born during 1964–9 at the Moor Plantation dairy herd, Ibadan, breeds differed significantly (P <0·01) at all ages. Highly significant sex differences (P <0·01) existed at 4 and 8 weeks of age. The season of birth significantly influenced the weight at 4 and 8 (P < 0·05) and at 12 weeks (P < 0·01). The season × sex and season × breed interactions significantly affected the weights at virtually all ages but the sex × breed interaction did not. The birth weight exerted a highly significant influence (P < 0·01) on all other body weights. It reduced the residual variation as well as the differences and interactions between the main effects. After adjusting for birth-weight differences, body weight was significantly (P < 0·05) influenced at various ages by breed of calf, season of birth, sex × breed and season × breed interactions. The sex and season × sex interaction effects on adjusted body weights at all ages were negligible (P > 0·05).

Three experiments were carried out to investigate factors which might affect the voluntary intake of effluents.

Effluent was introduced into the diet of pigs at rates of 25, 50 and 100 g D.M./day, replacing dry meal to maintain a constant amount of dry matter offered. The mean maximum daily intakes of effluent on the three treatments were similar indicating that, within this range, the rate of introduction of effluent had no effect on its potential maximum intake.

When solutions with differing concentrations of effluent dry matter were offered it was found that the intakes at the 20 and 10 g/kg concentrations were progressively lower than when tho concentration was 30 g/kg or higher. This suggested a physical limitation to the intake of effluent at low concentrations. A physiological limit may operate at concentrations of 30 g D.M./kg or higher.

In the third experiment daily air-dry meal allowances of 80, 90, 100 and 110 g/kg W0.75 were offered in addition to an ad libitum supply of effluent. The voluntary intake of effluent dry matter was not significantly affected by tho amount of meal offered and the total amount of dry matter consumed remained virtually constant.

In a recent number of this Journal, T. B. Wood and F. J. M. Stratton have discussed the probable error of field and feeding experiments, but in the latter case their investigations included only cattle and sheep.

The following work was undertaken as a necessary preliminary to a series of pig feeding experiments which are in contemplation. It is published at once in the hope that the results obtained may be of use to others who may be engaged in planning similar feeding trials.

There have been considerable changes during the last ten years in the ways in which agricultural research is organized in many countries. These changes are of interest to our readers and for this reason the Editors have invited the Agricultural and Food Research Council of the United Kingdom to explain present structures within that organization. The Agricultural and Food Research Council receives funds for research directly from the Department of Education and Science (c. £54 million per year) and through commissions from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (c. £44 million) as well as from commercial and other organizations (c. £13 million). It advises the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, which is the body responsible for the Scottish agricultural research institutes (spending c. £22 million per year), on scientific aspects of the research they finance and also provides support to universities and other educational establishments for the support of scientific studies relevant to agriculture and food.

The present work has been undertaken with the object of ascertaining the actual compounds of phosphoric acid and lime present in rock phosphates, a better knowledge of these compounds being of some agricultural importance.

The results of a preliminary investigation on this subject, in which single plots were used, which were published in 1921, tended to show that the following inferences, in respect to the relation of size and type of tuber-set to crop, might be drawn.

1. The size of the crop varied directly with the weight of the set up to a certain point, viz. 2 ozs., the crop then sinking slightly to a more or less constant level, whilst the weight of the set increased.