EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



191 



PRODUCTION OV NIOW VARIETIES BY CROSSING. 



Several wheats wore rropsed in 1900 at tlie ]Miehii;aTi ICxperinient 

 Station. Two of the ret^iiKiiijjj new wheals are iiiciiIjoikmI in Tai)le 1, 

 nnder numbers 912402 and 912708, of wliieli the latter appears to be 

 ])romising. 



Durinii' the past six years a larfije nnniber of other varieties have been 

 closely studied. Three varieties, (viz. Genesee Giant, SIie])herd's Per- 

 fection and Berkley) have been picked out as superior bread makers. 

 Seven varieties in Table T })roduce above 00% patent tlour and are there- 

 foi-e. fjood millinc: Avheats. In considering: winter hardiness, we tind a 

 half dozen wheats that have withstood the severe conditions of the past 

 winter and are still good stands. Great differences among the varieties 

 are also found in the vields. stiffness of straw and other characteristics. 



Fig^. 5. — Crossing wheats. 



The best variety should combine a number of good traits. It 

 should produce well, the straw should be stiff" enough so as not to 

 lodge in rainy seasons and it should be a winter hardy variety, more- 

 over, it should be a good miller and its patent flour should produce 

 good bread. Unfortunately, none of the Station wheats combine all of 

 these qualities, therefore, a number of crosses were made during June, 

 1912. The traits entering into the parentage of any cross should unite 

 in every possible combination in the second jear (1914) and from among 

 these it is hoped to select strains possessing better combinations of 

 characters. 



Among our highest yielding wheats, .\mericau Banner, (00101) has 

 been selected as also being among the best resisters of winter conditions. 

 This variety has been crossed with the best bread makers mentioned 

 above and also three other wheats (viz. No's 912703, 913802 and 925306) 

 that are also hardy and appear to have superior quality. 



Berkley is oiir best variety considering the combination of winter 



