STATION FOR PLANT BREEDING AT SVALOF, SWEDEN. 819 



sorts iiitollioi))lo, and in lookino- those over ono is improssod with the 

 thorouj^h uuuinor in which this kind of cxpcriniontiil vvoi-k is ^ya- 

 teuuitized. 



The station hiboratorv is a machine sho])of specialized contrivances. 

 Amon^ these may lie enmiicratcd counting" cases for (piickly register- 

 ing the grains per spikelet, specialized racks upon which the pedigreed 

 grain is hung, tal)les of peculiar construction, racks and trap's of con- 

 venient form, self-sorting balances, special pincers for cutting the 

 grains of barley in two in order to examine their flour texture, abacus- 

 like and ordinary counting machines for diminishing the labor of cal- 

 culation, ingenious shaking sieves for grading and registering cpiickl}' 

 large quantities of grain, marking boards to guide the plat planters in 

 planting the seed, and calipers for registering the relative compactness 

 of the wheat head. 



Dr. Nilsson has two scientific assistants, Dr. H. Tedin and Mr. P. 

 Bolin. The former is at work upon the improvement of forage plants, 

 with which he has already had excellent results, while the latter has 

 made a specialty of barley, and his Princess variety is rapidly super- 

 seding other sorts through southern Sweden. It is an essential of 

 success in plant breeding that the breeder shall become so intimatel}' 

 acquainted with the plants he is breeding that he learns which among 

 the host of characters constantly developed are of significance for his 

 purpose; and the organization and specialized scope of the Svalof 

 station foster this intimate acquaintance. 



Among the valuable varieties already produced by this remai'kable 

 breeding station are the (xrenadier wheat, which is not j^et on the 

 market but has yielded over 70 ])u. per acre where ordinarj^ kinds 

 gave only 35 bu. ; the Princess barley just mentioned, which took 20 

 out of 28 prizes offered by the Brewers' Association at a recent expo- 

 sition in Malmo, Sweden, and a variety of vetch ( Viela sativa) quite 

 proof against the mildew (Peronospora), which has for several years 

 almost completely destroyed the fields of this fodder plant at Svalof, 

 This vetch was found by Dr. Nilsson in a field which has been devastated 

 b}" the disease. It was noticeably free from the malady, and its progenj' 

 now form a race which is quite immune to the Peronosi)ora. C considering 

 the short time that has elapsed since the proper method was discovered 

 for the improvement of plants, and that the staff' of the station includes 

 only three breeders, these are certainl}" most worthy results. What 

 might be done if this work were prosecuted on a large scale does not 

 require much imagination to discern. 



