10 Oct., 1918.] Agricultural Education in Canada. 



589 



Of the more outstanding results might be mentioned the work of the 

 Cereal Division. The late Dr. Saunders, Plant Breeder and Dominion 

 Director of Experiment Farms, evolved new varieties of grain possessing 

 productiveness, early ripening habit, and good baking strength. 



Preston, Huron, and Stanley are all vigorous, early-maturing, and 

 prolific wheats, and have enabled the wheat belt to be pushed further 

 north; but the variety that has achieved the greaitest success is Marquis 

 wheat, which is equal to the old Redfife in baking qualities, ripens five 

 to ten days earlier, and is superior in productiveness to any other grown 

 in the Dominion. 



In the United States wheat belt, I found this wheat extensively grown, 

 and officers of the United States Department assured me that the intro- 

 duction of Marquis wheat has added tens of millions of bushels of wheat 

 to the harvest of America, to say nothing of Canada. Marquis has done 

 even more for Canada than Farrer's Federation did for the wheat belt 

 of Australia, and Australian farmers knoAV how indebted they are for 

 Federation wheat. 



Group of Buildings, Manitoba Agricultural College, Winnipeg, Canada. 



New varieties of fruits, particularly apples and pears, have been 

 evolved by cross-breeding by the Dominion Horticulturist (Mr, Maconn), 

 which have proved themselves more resistant to cold than any now being 

 grown. Such work is of great moment in a country where winter cold 

 is the limiting factor for tree growth. 



Remarkable results have been obtained, too, in breeding hardy strains 

 of grasses and forage plants. 



A recent development has been the creation of an economic fibre 

 division, which, wdth equipment for retting, breaking, scutching, and 

 working up fibres, tests the value of fibres grown throughout the 

 Dominion, 



During my stay at the Central Farm at Ottawa a Farmers' Field 

 Day was held, and, despite the inclement weather, over 600 farmers 

 attended the various demonstrations. 



Other important branches of the Federal Department which I in- 

 vestigated were: — 



(1) Live-stock division, appropriation . . £125,000 



(2) Health of animals division, appropriation 86,000 



(3) Pure seeds branch, appropriation . , 35,000 



