196 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTUHB. 



for tlie |)rogeiiies and beds. The plot numbers run serially tbroiigliout 

 all there groups of plots for a season. 



The register of an annual crop like oats (Figs. 4 and 5) is fully 

 explained by the cuts. In the case of perennial crops like alfalfa the 

 problem is more complex. It Avill be noticed that Fig. 7 is a narrower 

 page than Fig. 6. It is on a short leaf that when allowed to rest on 

 Fig. will cover all the columns except the ''Register No." The second 

 page of this short leaf is sho^n in Fig. 8. This is for the notes on the 

 second year. (Summar\\) A second short leaf is used before we come 

 to the full-sized page, (opposite of Fig. 6). This is for the records of 

 the summary notes of the third and fourth years. Then we come to 

 a full sized page used as a yearly-average comparison sheet. This is 

 on the back of Fig, 6. 



Individual Plant Registers. Figs. 9 and 10.* 



With annual plants we have the whole story told in the growing plant. 

 In the case of perennials, we need to follow the performance of indi- 

 vidual plants throughout their lifetime and average the results in 

 making our final selections of hardy, healthy, vigorous mothers of the 

 coming generation. The plants are set so as to form rows imnning at 

 right angles to one another. The rows in one direction are progenies 

 or beds, and are given plot numbers. The rows in the other direction 

 take care of the plant numbers in each progeny. The plant numbers 

 are designated on their row stakes as decimals, hundredths. In this 

 system, 35.92 stands for the 92nd. plant in the 35th row. When selec- 

 tions are made, this fits easily into our regular system, by prefixing 

 the date that the nursery was set out, and omitting the decimal point. 

 We have such a plant in an alfalfa nursery set out in 1909. If this 

 plant should become a mother of a new strain, it would be designated as 

 alfalfa 93592. 



The individual plant register has one or more pages given over to a 

 progeny. The opposite pages are duplicates. At the top of the page 

 is found the register number and the year that this particular crop is 

 grown. Each line on the page takes care of a plant. The columns take 

 care of the various notes that are taken. When the season's work is 

 finished, summations of these plant records are made for each progeny 

 and entered in the register of the crop in question (outlined above under 

 head of "registers.") This enables us to compare the progenies from 

 year to year. The individual plant registers of the different years en- 

 ables one to look up the performance of any plant in question. The 

 records of the more promising individuals are brought together on a 

 summary sheet for final comparison. 



NOTES. 



Midsummer is a busy note-taking season with little more time than 

 enough to carry out carefully laid plans. Tlie notes to be taken vary 

 with the kind of crop. Special registers are made out in winter, and 



*For blank forms see pages 207-208. 



