156 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



heavy weight per bushel. The flour produced from this wheat is of 

 the popular, granular type and of very high baking strength. In 

 several series of baking trials Prelude has surpassed Red Fife in baking 

 strength, and in one season it stood at the head of the list of all varieties 

 tested. The colour of the flour is slightly deeper than Red Fife or Mar- 

 Quis 1^1'+ the diffpTPn'-û k r.n+ ouffioiently marked to be of much signi- 

 ficance. Prelude gives a good yield, but is not expected to compete 

 with Marquis or Red Fife in this regard under conditions which are 

 quite favourable to these later sorts. It will certainly outyield the 

 later varieties in any localities visited by destructive early frosts. 



During the three years in which Prelude has been grown in the 

 regular test plots at Ottawa it has ripened on an average in 89 days 

 from the date of sowing. The average date of ripening was July 22nd, 

 though it was always ready to cut at least two days before this. Aver- 

 ages for two years at Brandon give 90| days and the average date as 

 Aug. 1st. At Indian Head it required 114 days, the average date of 

 ripening being Aug. 6th. During these same years Red Fife wheat ripened 

 on the average 18 days later than Prelude at Ottawa, 22 days later at 

 Brandon and 23 days later at Indian Head. Tests made at other points 

 last season show that in districts north and north-west of Indian Head 

 the advantage of Prelude in time of ripening is likely to be still greater. 



About a year ago a few small samples of Prelude wheat were sent 

 to farmers in Saskatchewan and Alberta so that a better idea might be 

 obtained as to its adaptability to various districts. The season was 

 peculiarly unfavourable for quick-developing varieties, because ex- 

 cessive heat and drought prevailed during the early part of the summer: 

 conditions which proved very trying to all grain crops which were mod- 

 erately well advanced. Those sorts which develop more slowly were 

 not so seriously injured. In one or two cases small plots of Prelude 

 were almost totally destroyed during this period; but on the whole 

 the record of the new variety was most satisfactory, the yields in some 

 instances being really remarkable. Two special cases may be mentioned. 

 A farmer near Melfort, Saskatchewan (at about latitude 53 degrees) 

 sowed five pounds of Prelude wheat on one-fifth of an acre of land and 

 thicshcd C03 pounds. Another farmer at a point about 30 miles north- 

 west of Calgary, in a distiict where spring wheat is usually struck with 

 frost, sowed one pound of seed on a relatively large piece of land, and 

 secured 123 pounds of clean grain. 



The conclusions drawn from the experience of the past season 

 confiim those of pi-evious years. Prelude wheat can be confidently re- 

 commended as the eailiost wheat yet introduced, and the onl}'- variety 

 which can be depended upon to ripen in many of the districts whore 

 early autumn frosts are common. 



