544 Grasses axd Leguminous Crops in ^N^ew York 



bad; but many of them have undesirable eharacteiristics. Thus, 

 the advantage of having a field sown to seed of only one variety 

 or type which has desirable characteristics is readily recognized. 



HOW new varieties are produced 



It should be of interest to know how varieties of timothy are 

 obtained. There arc two methods that may be employed by the 

 plant breeder in the production of new varieties. Often these 

 two methods are practiced at the same time. But whether one 

 or both are used, it is rightfully considered as breeding work. 



HyhricUzation 

 The first of these methods is hybridization. In this process, 

 the pollen from one individual plant or flower is applied to the 



stigma of another. The seed produced 

 bv this cross obviously contains the 

 characteristics of both parents. The 

 plant coming from the seed produced 

 in this cross belongs to what is called 

 the first generation. It may resemble 

 either of the parents with respect to 

 certain characteristics or possibly it 

 may resemble neither, but will be some 

 kind of blend or intermediate between 

 the two. The plants that come from 

 the seed produced in the first genera- 

 tion belong to what is called the second 

 generation. It is in this and succeed- 

 ing generations that the experimenter looks for new things; it is 

 here that he may get new combinations of the characteristics con- 

 tained in the original parent plants. 



But hybridization work with a plant like timothy is a tedious 

 process and requires considerable technical skill. There are a 

 great many florets on a single head of timothy and these florets are 

 small and delicate to handle. Fig. 597 is reproduced from a 

 drawing of a single timothy floret magnified about ten times. 

 Even in plants having larger flowers that can be more easily 

 crossed, the time required to produce results makes the method 



Fro. 597. Single Floret of 

 Timothy Enlarged About 

 Ten Times. 



a — anther; f — filament; 

 s — stigma; y — style 



