10 THE DESCRIPTION OF WHEAT VARIETIES. 



standard sorts. It was found, however, that such an undertaking 

 would be nearly impossible, for the present. Among the wheats so 

 collected, cases were found where samples indistinguishable as to 

 botanical characters were known by several different names, while on 

 the other hand there were cases where one name was found serving 

 for several samples strikingly different in appearance. (See Pis. I 

 and II.) 



A search through the available literature dealing with wheat varie- 

 ties, chiefly experiment station bulletins and seed catalogues, giving 

 accounts of new varieties and variety tests, showed that in most cases 

 the wheats were either not described at all or had descriptions so 

 meao-er and indefinite as to be useless. 



The description of a w T heat plant is, in itself, not a difficult under- 

 taking, but it requires the consideration of a number of details which 

 are sometimes hard to keep in mind or to find the right adjectives to 

 fit. In order to reduce this work to the simplest terms, a form for 

 variety descriptions has been prepared, a copy of which is inserted 

 at the beginning of this bulletin. On this form are listed, in reg- 

 ular order, such adjectives as are deemed of the most importance in 

 describing a variety of wheat. These adjectives are sufficiently numer- 

 ous to express practically all ordinary conditions met in describing a 

 variety. In order to make the description one needs only to glance 

 at the form, note the alternatives mentioned regarding a certain, char- 

 acteristic, then to glance at the sample in hand to see which of the 

 adjectives most nearly applies: this one is then checked, and the next 

 set of adjectives taken up. This method greatly facilitates the work 

 of describing varieties by suggesting the adjectives and by saving the 

 trouble of writing out the words used. It also gives a basis for 

 uniform description in all cases, which is a matter of prime importance. 



The form is printed on strong, thin paper, which may be filed in 

 any manner desired and preserved for future reference. All the data 

 regarding any plant or variety for a given year are thus brought 

 together on a single sheet of paper. 



It is believed that this system offers the means of straightening out 

 the nomenclature of our wheat varieties, of preventing errors in dis- 

 tributing wheat samples for testing purposes, of studying the effect of 

 changes of environment on wheat varieties, and of noting the varia- 

 tions resulting from hybridization. New varieties that may be origi- 

 nated may bo. by this method, accurately described, and if it is found 

 desirable these new varieties, so described, may be registered by some 

 recognized and competent organization. 



Further than this, published results of variety tests, when supple- 

 mented by more accurate descriptions, will be infinitely more valuable 

 to the reader than they are at present. 



The idea of describing wheats by a printed form was suggested by 

 Dr. N. A. Cobb, government botanist of New South Wales. 



