THE EXPERIMENT STATION 41 



response to the selection. Starting with a single variety of ordinary 

 field corn, four different kinds have been created, one of which is now 

 about twice as rich in protein as another, while another strain now 

 carries about five times as much oil as its corresponding opposite. 



As another example of the possibility of improving our field crops 

 through the methods of plant breeding, may be cited the production of 

 the new variety of wheat designated as Turkey 10-110. This wheat 

 is the progeny of a single mother plant found in a field of common 

 Turkey Red in 1910. Following its favorable performance in the 

 breeding plots, where, as a six year average, it outyielded the parent 

 variety by six bushels per acre, the strain has been increased and thous- 

 ands of bushels of seed are now being distributed about the state in 

 those sections to which it is found to be adapted. 



For the introduction of certain valuable new crops, the Experi- 

 ment Station has been largely responsible. Among these crops that 

 have been established in Illinois may be mentioned the soybean 

 and sweet clover, while the sunflower promises to take an importnat 

 place as a silage crop. Sweet clover deserves, perhaps, more than a 

 passing mention; for, in the mind of the writer, the introduction of 

 this remarkable plant marks an epoch in Illinois agriculture in the 

 sense that we have adopted a- plant that not only possesses great value 

 as a forage crop but also one that, when properly handled, goes a long 

 way toward solving the nitrogen problem. 



As an outcome of some of the earlier investigations and the sub- 

 sequent propaganda throughout the state, we have the improved prac- 

 tise of the shallow cultivation of corn, as against the old "root- 

 butchering" method of deep cultivation. It is doubtless true that to 

 this one thing alone Illinois and other corn-growing states are in- 

 debted for millions of bushels of corn annually in increased yields. 

 Many other important experiments having to do with the planting, 

 cultivation, and harvesting of our common farm crops would be well 

 worthy of mention here if the opportunity permitted. 



HORTICULTURAL CROPS 



In the production of our horticultural crops, which include the 

 fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants, many investigations parallel 

 to those described in field crops have been carried out. To give some 

 idea of the extent of the activities along this line, it may be said that 

 nearly fifty bulletins have been issued covering a wide range of topics 

 related to one phase or another of horticultural production. Fertilizer 

 experiments have been conducted in the orchard, in the garden, and 



