THE BREEDING OF OATS, BARLEY, AND WHEAT. 343 
Tschermak, and others, we have obtained new light upon this problem 
which we are now studying in connection with our grain crops. In 
former years when crosses of cereals were made it was thought necessary 
to continue growing the crosses for six, eight, or ten years before the 
varieties became fixed. With the recent information obtained, certain 
definite results can be secured in considerably less time. At our 
Agricultural College we have crossed a few of our best varieties of spring 
wheat, winter wheat, oats, and barley. The work has been largely 
accomplished during the last four years. In 1905, we had about eight 
thousand hybrid plants, and the results were very encouraging. In all 
our crosses we are working along definite lines with the hope of securing 
what we are after. As, for instance, we have crosses between the Siberian 
and the Joanette varieties of oats. Of about two hundred and fifty varieties 
of oats which we have had under experiment the Joanette black has 
produced the greatest yield of grain, has been the greatest stooler, and 
has furnished grain which is the thinnest in the hull. This variety, how- 
ever, is very short in the straw and unsuitable for general cultivation. 
The Siberian variety possesses straw of good quality and grain which is 
white in colour ; but the yield per acre is slightly less, the percentage of 
hull is rather more, and the stooling properties are not nearly as highly 
developed as are those of the Joanette. Already we have some ex- 
ceedingly interesting crosses from these two varieties. Individual plants 
possess in themselves several of the desirable qualities of both parents. 
We believe that some of these qualities are already constant, but we are 
not so sure of others—-such as productiveness. We also have most 
promising crosses from the Dawson’s Golden Chaff and the Turkey Red 
varieties of winter wheat, the Herison Bearded and the Red Fife varieties 
of spring wheat, the Mandscheuri and the T'wo-rowed Chevalier varieties 
of barley, the Common Emmer and the Red Spelt, &c. Although there 
is a great difference of opinion at the present time as to the outcome of 
the recent investigations in plant-breeding, we believe, from what we have 
been able to observe from the work of others and from our own practical 
experience, that tremendous strides will be made along the line of plant 
improvement through cross-fertilisation within the next few years. 
CONCLUSION. 
It will be seen from what has been said that the work of the improve- 
ment of our grain crops in its best form means careful, systematic work 
conducted along definite lines and over a long period of time. This is 
brought about by first selecting good seed from the best plants of the best 
varieties and then by producing new varieties by means of cross-fertilisa- 
tion, in order to obtain plants, eliminating as many of the poor qualities 
and incorporating as many of the best characteristics as can be brought 
together in any one variety, to fulfil a certain and a definite purpose. 
