314 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



DEPENDABLE MICHIGAN CROP VARIETIES. 



Special Bulletin No. 109. 



J. F. COX. 



THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION. 



Crop varietal tests held in a large number of communities show that a 

 great number of crop varieties of vaiying quality and yielding ability are 

 being grown. If all farmers in any one neighborhood were to adopt the 

 •besit varieties as their standards, increased yields would be secured and a 

 more unifonn and superior market grade produced. 



For over forty years the Agricultural Experiment Station of the Mich- 

 igan Agricultural College has conducted tests of varieties and carried on 

 varietal improvement work. In the early daj^s of this work new strains 

 were distributed directly from the College and in many inistaii€es became 

 mixed or '*run out" in a relatively short time. During the past ten years 

 there has developed a system of introduction of new varieties from the 

 Experiment Station to the farmer through the Michigan Crop Improve- 

 ment Association. This organization of seed growers can be joined by 

 any farmer or seed grower in Michigan. The pedigreed varieties distrib- 

 uted from the Experiment Station and placed in the hands of growers 

 through the agency of the Association, are inspected in the field, and sold 

 under certification. This plan insures the source, variety, and condition 

 of the seed at date of sale. In addition, there is a large movement of this 

 seed of improved varieties from farm to farm. Most of the Michigan 

 seed companies, dealing in field seeds, list in their catalogs and distribute 

 widely, seed of varieties which originated at the Midhigan Agricultural 

 Experiment Station. 



In addition to trade within the State, there has developed an extensive 

 out-of-state trade, both wholesale and retail with such varieties as the 

 Rosen rye, Red Rock wheat. Robust beans, and Wolverine, Worthy, and 

 College Wonder oats. . 



Briefly outlined, the plan for accomplishing (1) the development, the 

 testing, and the increase under inspection and (2) the sale of seed of im- 

 proved varieties in Michigan is as follows: — 



The Michigan Agricultural Experimental Station, Farm Crops 

 Department, Tests and Developes Varieties 



varietal testing. 



Extensive varietal tests of all major crops, including standard and new 

 varieties, are maintained at the Experiment Station at East Lansing, at 

 the Chatham Agricultural Experiment Sub-station, Upper Peninsula, 

 and also at numerous points over the State on a co-operative basis. 



