CHAPTER VIII. 



HYBRIDISATION AND SELECTION. 



The crossing of varieties of wheat, etc. The essentials of 

 fertilisatio7i Rimpau^s experiments Hybrids arid 

 selected varieties. 



In the more hopeful view of the case which the 

 new agriculture will have to take, it will recognise 

 the physiological truth that since the living plant 

 is the important and variable machine which 

 constructs the produce looked for, and since that 

 machine will work best in proportion as its needs 

 are properly satisfied ; therefore in cases where 

 the needs of a given type of the machine cannot 

 be efficiently provided for, it will be well to select 

 some other type which will take what supplies 

 and conditions can be offered. Of course, this is 

 already recognised to a certain extent, as is implied 

 in the practices of " rotation of crops," selection 

 of " pedigree wheats " and mixtures of " pasture 

 grasses," and in decisions as to the quality of land 

 according to the kinds of weeds found on it, and 



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