200 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



9-10 EDWARD VII., A. 1910 



VISITS TO BKANCH EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



As soon as the harvest at Ottawa was well enough advanced to permit me to 

 leave this Farm, I started on a trip through parts of central and western Canada for 

 the purpose of inspecting the cereal crops at the branch Experimental Farms and 

 becoming better acquainted with the varying conditions of soil and climate in some 

 of the more important sections of the west. Problems in connection with the trans- 

 portation, grading, cleaning and milling of wheat and oats were also studied. The 

 principal points visited were Port Arthur, Winnipeg, Brandon, Indian Head, Leth- 

 bridge, Lacombe, Calgary, Agassiz, Vancouver and Victoria. Information which will 

 be of value in connection with the work of this Division was acquired at all of these 

 points. At Agassiz I met the delegation of Scottish agriculturists and editors who 

 were travelling through Canada. 



CROSSING AND SELECTION OF CEREALS. 



A few new crosses were made last summer, the most important being between 

 Onega wheat (a very early variety from northern Russia) and Early Red Fife, and 

 between Early Red Fife and Kubanka (perhaps the best of the durum wheats for 

 bread or macaroni). Some crosses were also made between different strains of 

 selected Red Fife wheat, to see if any noteworthy results can be obtained from such 

 crossing within the limits of a single variety. 



The selection of the most promising plants from the small plots of unfixed, cross- 

 bred cereals was carried on as usual. There are now on hand over 300 new cross-bred 

 varieties of wheat, oats and barley which are being propagated for test in larger plots. 

 Among these are many sorts of remarkable interest. 



The selections from the principal named varieties of cereals which have been 

 made during the past few years were again subjected to careful study and comparison 

 for the purpose of eliminating all but the very best strains. 



METHODS OF SELECTION. 



Attempts to improve cereals by some form of selection, either with or without the 

 additional aid of cross-breeding, have lately attracted so much attention in Canada 

 that some general review of the methods available seems desirable, as well as a clear 

 statement of the procedure followed in the work of cereal breeding and improvement at 

 this farm. 



SELECTION WITHOUT PREVIOUS CROSS-BREEDING. 



Ordinary varieties and commercial mixtures of grain show so much variation 

 in character, when the individual plants or heads produced from them are carefully 

 studied, that it is sometimes possible to obtain from them improved types or strains 

 by some simple method of selection without having recourse, first of all, to cross- 

 breeding to produce great variations. 



The meaning of the term variety as applied to cereals is pretty well understood, 

 but the word strain may need some explanation. This word is used to signify a 

 subdivision of a variety. Even when we possess pure seed at the start, we may bj 

 selection obtain types which, though very clearly similar to each other, have certain 



