EXPEKIMENTS IN THE HYBRIDIZATION OK CeuEALS. 433 



No. 13. Bearded; white cliutf; kernel large, oblong, 

 rather light colored. 



No. 15. Bearded; red eh all'; kernel large, plump, dark. 



No. 15^. Bearded ; white chaff; kernel of good size, 

 almost spherical, not deeply colored. Assorted from No. 

 15 ; only three years ago the two sorts were contained in 

 one kernel. 



It is interesting to trace each of the several characters of 

 these six varieties to its origin, either in the Black Sea or 

 the Gold Drop. I will add that all these new varieties are 

 remarkably vigorous and productive, (tarrying heads from 

 five to six inches in length. All have resisted mildew or 

 rust the past year. 



In 1871 I renewed my crossing of cereals, operating upon 

 wheat, oats and barley. A friend brought me a foreign 

 variety of wheat, the White Hamburgh, with kernels of 

 milky whiteness, giving every indication that they would 

 yield flour of superlative excellence. At once I seized upon 

 this variety as just the pollen parent I needed to give to our 

 hardy sorts of spring wheat the fine quality possessed by 

 our white winter wheat. I presumed that this wheat, as is 

 usually the case with our imported cereals, might not suc- 

 ceed in our soil and climate, and that the only way to make 

 its excellence available in our agriculture was to impart it by 

 hybridization to our common hardier stocks. My apprehen- 

 sions respecting the unfitness of this White Hamburgh 

 wheat for our climate have been verified, I think, for with 

 me it has always rusted before the seed was fully formed ; and 

 for several years past I have seen in our agricultural jour- 

 nals no mention of the variety. But that year my plants 



