[SATJNDERS] CEREAL BREEDIMG ON EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 157 



The regular distriljution of Prelude wheat to farmers was begun 

 during this past winter, over two hundred samples being sent out. As 

 with all new varieties the demand was many times greater than the 

 supply. Under the circumstances it was necessary to refuse the majority 

 of the applications and confine the distribution to those districts where 

 the need of an extremely early wheat was greatest. Provision has been 

 made for a good acreage of Prelude wheat on the Experimental Farms 

 this season ; and it is hoped that next winter there will be a large enough 

 stock of seed to meet the needs of the free distribution, and leave a 

 reserve stock for sale to farmers in two-bushel lots. 



But while Marquis and Prelude are revolutionising wheat-growing 

 in the great Western provinces, and will be of incalculal^le value, they 

 are by no means the last word in wheat breeding. Without aiming to 

 displace either of these wheats, and without adding unduly to the num- 

 ber of varieties under cultivation, there is still need of additional sorts 

 which shall be better adapted to the requirements of certain districts. 

 The writer is making it his chief business to produce these desired va- 

 rieties. He hopes to introduce, in the near future another very early- 

 maturing variety, which, though not quite so early as Prelude, will 

 produce somwhat longer straw, and thus be available for localities 

 where great earliness is necessary but where the rainfall is not sufficient 

 to produce a good length of straw, except in the case of varieties which 

 are naturally rather tall. A very early-maturing wheat with decidedly 

 long straw will perhaps always be an impossibility. 



There is also needed a variety resembling Marquis as far as possible 

 in most respects but ripening about a week earlier. Such a wheat 

 would have a great advantage over Marquis for many districts and 

 might at the same time surpass Prelude in yield and in flour colour. 

 There are now under test a good number of candidates for this enviable 

 position; and it is by no means improbable that within a few years one 

 of these may be introduced— with perhaps greater benefit to the coun- 

 try than either of its predecessors. But one dare not attempt to pro- 

 phesy. 



While the needs of the western provinces in regard to varieties of 

 wheat are receiving the first attention, the other provinces are not 

 being forgotten. Some valuable introductions have already been made, 

 and considerable effort has also been put forth to discourage the growing 

 of inferior varieties, for which the eastern farmers often seem to have a 

 strange predilection. 



To the work which is being done with oats, barley, field peas, beans 

 and flax it is impossible to refer at length within the limits of this paper. 

 A good start has been made in all these different lines of work. Among 

 the cereals proper, next to wheat, the greatest amount of attention has 



