[SAUNDERS] CEREAL BREEDING ON EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 153 



It will be seen from the above account that we do not know the 

 exact year when Marquis wheat came into existence; but it was prob- 

 ably between 1895 and 1902. It remained, however, mixed with other 

 related strains until isolated in 1903. It was first grown in pure con- 

 dition in 1904, when a few seeds were sown in a sheltered garden on 

 the Central Experimental Farm. But its fine qualities were very im- 

 perfectly known at that time; and it was not until the baking tests of 

 1907 were completed that the decision was reached to send Marquis 

 to Saskatchewan for trial under prairie conditions. The response 

 of Marquis to its new environment was phenomenal. The year 1907 

 was decidedly unfavourable for most varieties of wheat owing to the 

 prevalence of rust and of cool, wet weather. Marquis had a great 

 advantage, because of its early-ripening habit and its ability to resist 

 rust to a certain extent. It yielded more than any other sort, both in 

 the plots and in the fields. In the plots it gave 32 bushels per acre, 

 while the old standard variety. Red Fife, gave 12 bushels. In the 

 field Marquis yielded at the rate of 42 bushels per acre, and stood far 

 ahead of any other sort. 



The following season Marquis was tried also on the Experimental 

 Farm at Brandon, where it succeeded exceptionally well. In subsequent 

 years it was distributed to farmers all over Canada. While it has given 

 good results at almost all points, its greatest successes have been in the 

 provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba, especially in 

 Saskatchewan. 



Taking the average of the past six years (1907 to 1912 inclusive) 

 Marquis has produced 35 per cent, more crop than Red Fife in the 

 uniform trial plots at Indian Head. At Brandon in a test for five years 

 years (1908 to 1912 inclusive) Marquis has yielded 7 per cent, more 

 than Red Fife. 



The chief points in favour of Marquis for these provinces are its 

 productiveness, its earliness in ripening (generally from 6 to 10 days 

 earlier than Red Fife), its strength of straw, its comparative freedom 

 from rust, the heavy weight per bushel and fine appearance of the grain, 

 and the excellent colour and baking-strength of the flour produced 

 from it. 



The best field crops of Marquis on the experimental farms have 

 been obtained at Brandon and Indian Head. In 1909 a field of 4^ 

 acres at Brandon gave more than 52 bushels per acre. In 1910 a field 

 of 5J acres at Indian Head gave a little over 53 bushels per acre. Several 

 very high plot records have been secured with Marquis, the most re- 

 markable being at the rate of over 81 bushels per acre on a plot of one- 

 fortieth of an acre at Indian Head in 1912. This probably constitutes 

 a world's record for spring wheat. 



