STATION FOR PLANT HKKKDINO AT SVALOF, SWKDKN. S15 



;ittoni])t was made to coniljinc these two related objects, hut it was 

 found that too much time of the \)hint breeders was absorbed in the 

 purely l)usiness transactions of seliint;- and shipping seed. 



The effort of Mr. Welinder and his associates soon attracted atten- 

 tion in other parts of Sweden and resulted in the formation of the 

 General Swedish Breedino- Societ}', which later, by absorption of 

 smaller institutions in middle Sweden, be(;ame the Swedish Seed 

 Breeding Association. 



Although owing its origin to private initiative, the association has 

 received since 1891 an amiual government appropriation, which now 

 amounts to 18,000 crowns, or nearly $5,000. This sum, together with 

 700 to 800 membership fees, subscriptions from various Swedish agri- 

 cultural societies, receipts from the sale of grains from the experi- 

 mental plats, etc., makes the total fund for maintenance of the 

 institution nearl}'^ 53,000 crowns, or $14,300. 



Until recently the business relations between the association and 

 the conipany have been somewhat complicated. Seeds of new varieties 

 originated by the breeding station have been appraised by a joint 

 committee and sold outright to the company. Under the present 

 arrangement the association receives a royalty of 1 per cent of the 

 gross receipts of the company on the sales of seed originated bj'^ the 

 breeding station. 



iVlthough it was not expected in the formation of the com})any that 

 an}' profit Avould result in the first few years from the sales of seed, the 

 ])ooks already show a small credit balance, and it seems assured that 

 from a l)usiness standpoint the company will be a success. 



From 1886 to 1892, unproductive methods of selection were 

 employed and not a single really superior variety of grain was 

 developed. Since 1892, when Director N. H. Nilsson introduced an 

 original method of selection which has proved very important, several 

 new and valuable sorts have been distributed on a large scale and 

 many more promising ones are on trial. As it requires about five 

 years to grow a sufhciently large quantity of the seed to justif}' putting 

 it on the market, it was not until 1897 that the company could really 

 begin to get an}' benefit fi'om the work of the plant breeders. 



Upon receiving seed of a new and thoroughl}' tested variety from 

 the breeding stiition, the company sows it at once on its own land, 

 which is adjacent to the grounds of the station; and when a sufHciently 

 large quantity has been harvested, the compan}- distributes it to cor- 

 respondents under the simple agreement that the latter shall sell the 

 whole ci'op harvested from this seed to the company, receiving for 

 their extra pains a price somewhat in advance of the market price for 

 ordinary grains. No special precautions are considered necessary to 

 prevent the grower from stealing a small quantit}^ for his own use and 



25832— No. 9—02 2 



