1909] The Ottawa Natukalist. 107 



With these conclusions in mind it is a comparatively simple 

 matter to draw up a plan whereby man may systematically and 

 scientifically utilize the forces of nature to his own advantage. 

 The systematic selection of what we are now pleased to call 

 fluctuating variations in field crops with a view to preventing 

 deterioration is a very ancient practise. The idea of actually 

 improving our crops is, how^ever, of comparatively recent origin. 

 Once improvement was considered possible several systems were 

 devised. The Germans followed Darwin's enunciation that im- 

 provement w^as a gradual process resulting in the accumulation 

 of slight favorable variations, hence, we have "The German 

 system of plant improvement." We have a concrete example 

 of the improvement that may be effected by this system in the 

 famous Schlanstedt rye originated or developed by Rimpau. 

 This system is practised largely in Canada at the present time by 

 members of the Canadian Seed Growers' Association. 



' Le Couteur, an Englishman who worked during the begin- 

 ning of the 19th century is said to be the first to apply the principle 

 of selection to the improvement of cereals by selecting elementary 

 types from the growing crop. One of his most noted selections 

 is the Bellevue de Talavera wheat which originated from a single 

 plant selected from the regular field. This was apparently a 

 mutation as it continues to breed true and to show very slight 

 deviation. 



Patrick Sherrift", another Englishman, working about the 

 middle of the 19th century produced the Mungoswell's wheat 

 after making many attempts to isolate superior plants. This 

 wheat is still said to be popular in certain parts of Great Britain. 



In 1857, F. T. Hallett, of Brighton, England, began a line 

 of work from another point of view. He believed that each plant 

 had one best head and that each head had one best kernel. By 

 making repeated selections through several generations the yield 

 was materially increased when suddenly the maximum seemed to 

 be reached and further improvement ceased. 



During the last 20 years Dr. Nilsson, of Svalof, Sweden, has 

 been engaged in the breeding and improving of cereals and has 

 secured some remarkable results. At first Nilsson practised the 

 selection of such apparent fluctuating variations as appeared in 

 the field sown in the ordinary way. He found, however, that 

 his results by this method were not very satisfactory, so he 

 changed his system and adopted the plan of selecting and 

 propagating individual plants and, by a process of elimination, 

 finally isolating those which were most desirable. This system 

 enabled him to discover and take advantage of some of the 

 , mutations which might appear from time to time, and at the 



