338 REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE ON GENETICS. 
selections were sown upon plots of similar size. The following table 
gives the average results obtained from the different selections :— 
Yield of Grain per Acre fiom 
Crops Number of j|—-—— a ee = : 
ys Years of Tests ae = 
Large Seed Medina 255 Small Seed 
Bushels. Bushels. Bushels. 
Oats. : : ; : 7 62-0 | 54-1 46°6 
Barley. : : | 6 53°8 —_ 504 
Spring Wheat . , ae 8 21-7 — 18:0 
Winter Wheat . ? »| 6 46°9 | == 40-4 
From the figures here presented in tabulated form it is most 
interesting to observe the marked influence of one year’s selection of 
seed on each of the crops here enumerated. The large well-formed 
seeds produced stronger and more vigorous and more productive plants. 
In other experiments along similar lines we have obtained better 
results from plump as compared with shrunken seed, from sound seed 
as compared with that which was injured in the process of threshing, 
from grain which was perfect in comparison with that which had sprouted 
in the field, and from seed which was thoroughly ripened in comparison 
with that which was harvested while it was still immature. 
An interesting experiment has been conducted for thirteen years in 
succession in a systematic selection of seed oats. The selections were 
made with large, plump, black seeds and also with light-weighing and 
light-coloured seeds. ‘The test was commenced in the spring of 1893 
by selecting seed from the general crop of the Joanette black oats of 
the previous year. The selection made in each of the following years 
was from the product of the selected seed of the previous year. The 
selections each year were composed of an equal number of grains, and 
the seed was sown on plots of uniform size. As the selection for this 
experiment has been continuous, selecting the seed each year from the 
crop produced in the year previous, the average results are of but little 
value, but the yearly results are interesting, valuable, and quite suggestive. 
In the crop produced in 1905 it was found that the large plump seed 
produced 65°5 bushels and the light seed 44°7 bushels per acre. In each 
of the past few years the results have been much the same as those for 
1905. In weight per measured bushel the crop produced from the large 
plump seed weighed 35°5 lb. and that from the light seed 24:3 Ib. 
It is interesting to notice that the crop produced from the large plump 
seed required only 1,149 grains to weigh an ounce, while the crop 
produced from the light seed required 2,066 grains to make the same 
weight. It will be seen from the results here presented that the selection 
of the seeds themselves has an influence on the production of the crop, 
and should form a factor in the process of breeding. 
SELECTION OF PLANTS. 
In the spring of 1908 some very choice grain of six varieties of oats, 
barley, and spring wheat was selected frcm the crops grown at the 
