RETORT OF THE DIRECTOR 39 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



at the branch Farms and three at Ottawa, and it is hoped that it will be possible to 

 show, by actual figures, the comparative hardiness and value of these different 

 regional strains. By conducting similar experiments during succeeding years from 

 tlio Fowl that will be obtained from these and folio-wing plots, it is onJy reasonable 

 to suppose that a gradual elimination of the undesirable and less hardy individuals 

 will lake place, and a more hardy strain be firbally produced. 



GRASSES. 



Timothy.— During 1912, forty-two lots of individual timothy plants were each 

 obtained from the seed of a single wild plant, and in 1913 the entire lot amply demon- 

 strated the polymorphous character of the species. Also the fact that many of the 

 lots were very similar in general character, showed that the morphological characters 

 of these plants are in general hereditary. 



Seventeen of the most vigorous and desirable plants among those lots were 

 isolated and self-fertilized. Fr>^m the resulting seed, individuals will be obtained 

 next year, which will be tested for characters that would make them worthy of fur- 

 ther investigation. 



From the year's experience it is a moderate estimate to state that it will be 

 possible to produce a uniform strain of timothy within the next few years, having 

 a yielding ciapacity 25 per cent greater than any timothy now obtainable commer- 

 cially- 



As further material for future breeding work, 2,400 individual timothy plants 

 obtained from lots of seed produced chiefly in western Canada, were transplanted 

 into the field during the summer. 



Orchard grass.'— Work similar to that with timothy was also started in 1912 with 

 orchard grass. In this species the range of type is even greater, while the morpho- 

 logical characters seem to be as readily transmissible. 



From the 200 individual plants transplanted into the field in 1912, ten of the 

 most desirable were selected and self-fertilized. From the seed obtained from these 

 plants, individuala will be obtained and subjected to a test similar to tha.t for timothy. 



Other grasses. — For the season of 1914, wftrk similar to that with timothy and 

 orchard grass will be started with western rye grass, meadow fescue and one or more 

 of the, at present, uncultivated species of Agropijrum. 



FIELD ROOTS AND INDIAN CORN. 



During the season of 1913 the usual variety tests with field roots and Indian 

 corn were conducted at the Central Experimental Farm and at the various branch 

 Farms, a total of 27 varieties of turnips, 19 of mangels, 6 of sugar beets and 15 of 

 corn being tesred. 



Previous to 1913 each variety was grown in a single plot and the yield per acre 

 calculated from the same. For the season of 1913, however, the tests were conducted 

 in duplicate plots, situated in different parts of the field, thus eliminating in some 

 measure the disturbing influence of varying soU conditions upon the comparative 

 yield of the varieties, by averaging the results from both plots. The results for the 

 season from this method of variety testing were very instructive, and it will be con- 

 tinued in the future. _ ■ . i , j j 



For the coming season, several apparently inferior varieties have been dropped 

 from the tests, while, on tlie other hand, a few new ones liiive been introduced. 

 Among the introductions into this line of experiment are several promising Swedish 

 and Danish varieties of turnips, mangels and carrots. 



