Journal of Agriculture. [8 May, 1908. 



tTnd is more prolific than the ordinary sort. But the separate cultures were 

 proved to satisfy all thei requirements of the farmer, and he had simply 

 to select the t\pe which suited his soil and conditions. Among the 

 numerous strains all were not equally good but a few were found to be 

 superior in desirable characters. Some were early in maturing and 

 others late, some were able to withstand frost and others had stiff straw, 

 some had excellent stooling qualities and others were distinguished by the 

 size of the ear and the plumpness of the grains. The very be.st w^ere chosen 

 and tested at the station and multiplied in order to supply the trade. Out 

 of the practical needs of the faimer has arisen this vast organization which 

 aims at covering the whole field of seed selection in a thorough-going 

 manner. It involves the study of the selected individual plants through 

 every stage of their growth, and quite a number ot specialists are employed 

 ic devote their whole attention to special crops. 



Centgener Power. 

 A new method of indi\idual selection has been adopted recently in America,, 

 chiefly by W, iNI. Hays, of the iNIinnesuta Experiment Station, and also in 

 Germany, based upon the experience of breeders of domestic animals. iHays 

 asserts that half the battle is won by choosing the variety which is to serve 

 as a foundation stock, while the other half depends upon the selection of 

 parent-plants within the chosen variety. On what principle is this selection 

 made ? It consists in judging the hereditary value of a plant from the 

 average value of its progeny and not from its visible characteristics. It 

 starts from individual parent-plants as before, but instead of taking their 

 individual yield as an indication of their hereditary value, the average of a 

 hundred grains of their offspring is taken as a standard. Hays adopted 

 this standard of 100 grains for reckoning the value of each parent-plant 

 and hence called it the " centgener power " or breeding-ability. Only those 

 parent-plants are chosen for continuing the race with the largest power in 

 the centgener of offspring and afterwards their seeds are multiplied until 

 the desired quantitv is obtained. In this way Hays claims to have obtamed 

 varieties of wheat producing 10 to 15 per cent, more grain under the same 

 conditions of culture and treatment than the original variety, and Von 

 Lochow on a similar principle has raised one of the best varieties of rye. 

 This "centgener power" is not only, an index of productiveness, but it 

 applies to other important qualities as well, such as ability to resist rust. 



. Selection iNlETHOos at Rosew orthy Agricultural College. 



There is considerable activity at present in several of the States with 

 regard to the improvement of the cereals, particularly wheat, and they 

 are adopting methods which it is intended should be followed out in con- 

 tinuation of their scheme. It is, therefore, a matter of great importance 

 that the methods of work should be ba.sed upon the best available experi- 

 ence, and that a start should be made from the highest level of excellence. 

 We may take as an example the experiments at Roseworthy, South 

 Australia, on the Improvement of Cereals by Professor Perkins. Start- 

 ing in 1904, he has initiated a course of systematic selection which has 

 the merits of simplicity and continuity. And so successful has he found 

 it during the past four years that he is justified in entertaining the hope 

 that " In the cour.se of time, we shall be in a position to supply the neigh- 

 bourhood and similarly situated districts with seed of greater value than 

 can in present circumstances be grown b} farmers themselves, or purchased 

 on the open market." 



