[SAUNDERS ] EXPERIMENTS IN PLANT BREEDING 119 
kernel, viz., black, white and dun coloured. Sided oats have also been 
crossed with branching, from which oats have been produced with 
half branching heads. Among the most productive of the cross-bred 
oats are the Cromwell, a cross between Prize cluster female and Giant 
cluster male, which last year stood at the head of the list of varieties 
tested at the Central Experimental Farm, the Kendal, which has 
given on the trial plots at all the experimental farms for the past 
three years an average crop of 70 bushels 18 lbs. per acre, and Hol- 
land, a cross between Giant cluster female, and Prize cluster male, 
which has given for the same period an average of 69 bushels 1 Ib. 
per acre. 
Cross-bred Pease. 
Many useful crosses have been made in this group, some of which 
have produced heavy crops. The Arthur, a cross between the varie- 
ties known as Mummy and Multiplier, stands at the head of the list 
tested at the Central Experimental Farm, having given an average 
during six years trial of 37 bushels 35 lbs. per acre. Among the 
other varieties which have stood high in productiveness are Carleton, 
which was obtained from the same cross as Arthur, King a cross 
between the Mummy and the large White Marrowfat, and Paragon, a 
cross between the Black-eyed Marrowfat and Mummy. In all, about 
175 cross-bred sorts of pease have been produced, and after discarding 
those which have proved deficient in vigour, productiveness or quality, 
there still remain thirty varieties which have shown sufficient merit 
to warrant their being placed with the best of their class. 
Cross-bred Apples for the Northwest Plains. 
Ever since the experimental farms were established continued 
efforts have been made in the Canadian North-west to obtain apple 
trees which would be hardy enough to endure the climate of that 
eountry. All the promising sorts obtainable in Northern Europe, 
the Northern United States and elsewhere have been secured and 
tested in considerable numbers, both with and without shelter, but 
thus far unsuccessfully. In the spring of 1887, among other seeds 
received from the Royal Botanic Gardens at St. Petersburg, Russia, 
there was a package of the seed of the “ berried crab” from northern 
Siberia, Pyrus baccata. Young trees were raised from this seed and 
sent to the experimental farms at Brandon and Indian Head to be 
tested and have now been under trial there for the past ten years. 
They have been found perfectly hardy and have borne good crops of 
fruit. These trees are dwarf in habit, low-branched and strongly 
