Practice of Plant Breeding 



famous examples of the same sort were Rimpau's selected 

 varieties of the rye, which have recently not only dis- 

 placed all others amongst his German neighbours at 

 Schlanstedt, but have invaded France and beaten out 

 of the field many of the older French races.-^ 



But even by selection of the best plant in a large field 

 of corn, one cannot produce the very best results. It 

 is necessary to select the best grain of corn in the 

 best ear. This was first done by Hallett of Brighton 

 many years ago. He chose the best kernel of the best 

 ear of wheat. 



The plant which sprang from it had 47 grains in one 

 particular ear. Again choosing the best kernel, he got 

 79 grains in the second year, and in the third year no 

 less than 90 grains. His strains were a very great 

 success, and enormously improved the British harvests 

 of his time. Exactly the same method has been found 

 advantageous by Dr. Nilsson of Svalof in Sweden. 



At the Ontario Agricultural College, Professor Zavitz 

 has had some remarkable triumphs by using this system. 



One selected grain (the very best amongst ten thou- 

 sand) of black Jannette oats, sown in 1903, produced in 

 1905 over 100 bushels of grain and no less than 8748 

 pounds of straw.^ 



The following table shows the results from various 

 sized seeds : — 



285 



