206 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



5-6 EDWARD VII., A. 1903 



Washington, from both of whom were received samples of Turkey Eed winter wheat, 

 to Mr. A. Kirsche of Pfiffelbach-Apolda, for new varieties of cereals and to Mr. Wm, 

 Farrer, of Lambrigg, N.S.W., for samples of some new Australian wheats of his own 

 breeding. 



I have the honour to be, sir, 



Your obedient servant, 



CHAELES E. SAUNDEES, 



Cerealist. 



CEOS SING AND SELECTION OF CEEEALS. 



Increased care is being exercised every year in the selection of seed for the small 

 groups of plants grown for breeding purposes. The improved, selected strains now be- 

 ing grown at this Farm furnish excellent material for this work of originating new 

 sorts. 



As the number of cross-bred kinds now on hand is so large, only a few new crosses 

 ■uere made this year. The conditions, as to weather, were quite favourable, and good 

 results were obtained. In barley one cross was made, giving 14 seeds, and in wheat 

 seven crosses, giving 80 seeds. The number of wheat flowers operated on was 104, the 

 percentage of success being therefore nearly 77. Judging by the experience of former 

 years this should represent nearly 75 per cent of true cross-bred kernels. It seems im- 

 possible to avoid entirely the production of self-fertilised grains. 



The work of cross-fertilising was begun on June 27th and finished on July 8th. 

 The cross-bred seeds obtained in 1904 were sown about a foot apart each way. 

 Most of the seeds germinated. The plants m_ade vigorous growth and matured large 

 quantities of seed in nearly all cases. About 90 plants were harvested, among the most 

 interesting being some beardless types of two-row barley, and some strong, early kinds 

 of wheat produced by crossing Aurora with Eed Fife ^and Eiga with Pringle's Cham- 

 plain. 



The grain obtained from the mother plants raised from the cross-bred seeds of 

 1903 was sown in groui>s, the seed from each mother plant being carefully kept separate. 

 As every seedling in each group can fairly be regarded as a distinct variety there were 

 in this plantation approximately 40,000 varieties of wheat, 4,000 of oats, 5,000 of barley 

 and 1,000 of peas, a total of about 50,000 new varieties. The great majority of these 

 were rejected before or during the harvest, but several thousand of the more promising 

 plants were retained for more thorough examination during the winter. 



In addition to these unfixed sorts there were sown about 100 other new varieties 

 or new selections, chiefly of wheat, in small plots. Those are now quite fixed in type 

 and they presented a most striking and beautiful appearance as they ripened. A few 

 sorts were rejected for weakness of st^'aw or for other reasons, and the remainder will 

 be subjected to further careful study before being tested in the larger plots. The 

 heavy storms which occurred during the ripening season made the observations on 

 strength of straw particularly valuable.- Among the most interesting now varieties 

 land strains in this collection may be mentioned several selections from Eed Fife, which 

 are of the highest gluten strength and some of which ripen somewhat earlier than or- 

 dinary Eed Fife. There are also some superior strains of Preston, Stanley, Percy, 

 Huron, Eiga and other cross-bred sorts produced in the first few years after the estab- 

 lishment of the experimental farms, as well as strains of other varieties which have 

 not yet been described. Some crosses between. Colorado wheat and Common Emmer 

 and between Eed Fife wheat and wheats of the durum or macaroni class are showing 

 desirable qualities and may prove useful for those farmers who raise wheat for 

 chickens. One of these new sorts (known for the present under the record number of 



