MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. ■ 141 



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assisted by man, produces a re-combinatiou of characters, asserting itself in 

 a now individual, which in the case of crops may become a new variety. The 

 classical researches of Johannsen, in establishing his theory of pure lines, did 

 much toward pointing out a constructive plan in plant breeding, and the fact 

 that prominent varieties of self fertilized crops have originated from the selec- 

 tion of a single individual, proves tlie workableness of Johannsen's theory of 

 pure lines. 



At the present time the stability of a pure line in grain has been fully 

 demonstrated, and considerable data are available to prove its immiitability. 

 A pedigreed variety of a pure line is the progency of a single self fertilizing 

 individual. A number of our prominent varieties of pedigreed grain have been 

 developed from the selection of pure lines. 



Fultz wheat is a prominent variety, which was produced by selection. 

 It originated from a selection made by Abraham Fultz in Mifflin County, Tenn- 

 sylvania, from a field of Lancaster, and is an awnless variety, selected from 

 a field of awned wheat. Its general distribution is evidence of its excellent 

 quality. 



White Clawson is another variety that came into prominence about 1871. 

 This selection was made by Garrett Clawson from a field of Fultz, a semi-hard 

 red wheat, at that time quite generally grown in New York state. 



Gold Coin is another variety that came into prominence in New York 

 state. This selection was made by Ira W. Green at Avon, New York, and was 

 an aw-nless variety, with white kernels and selected from an awned red kernel 

 variety. 



Our present Fife and Bluestem varieties have been the source of a number 

 of selected varieties. No doubt most of these new^ varieties were nothing more 

 than the segregation of a pure line. 



One of the more recent selections of wheat that has come into local promi- 

 nenec and which is now quite widely grown, is the variety, Ked Rock. This 

 variety was originated at the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station from 

 an individual kernel picked out of a white wheat (Plymouth Rock). It was 

 first planted in the fall of 1908, and is a hardy, stiff strawed, red chaffed, 

 awned red winter wheat. Its exceptional winter hardiness, good yielding 

 ability and high quality makes it a very desirable variety. Considerable credit 

 is due Trofes.sor Spragg of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, in 

 giving to the farmers of the state a variety of wheat of such high quality. 

 Comparative tests conducted at the Michigan Station, where a large number 

 of different varieties were grown under the same conditions, showed that the 

 winter resistance, yield and quality of Red Rock was equal to the best varie- 

 ties and superior to many. The fact that it is quite hard makes it excellent 

 wheat for the production of bread flour. 



The distribution of this wheat in Michigan began in 1913. Peck samples 

 were sent out to a number of county agents. The tests under field conditions 



