HYBRIDISATION AND SELECTION. 75 



Still more instructive are the results of the 

 cross between the same white English non- 

 bearded wheat and a red German bearded wheat. 



The first results of the crossing in 1875 showed 

 the loose ear of the German mother, but was 

 paler in colour ; while the influence of the 

 English father was shown by the absence of 

 beard. 



From the reversions and mixtures of the 

 mongrels showing reminiscences of the parents 

 in all degrees in 1877, rigid selections and re- 

 sowings were made as before, and Rimpau 

 eventually got four very distinct varieties, two 

 red and two white, a bearded and a beardless 

 form of each, and these were declared fixed and 

 constant in 1879-1882. 



Passing over many similar results, and merely 

 noting a very successful variety got from a cross 

 between a very early ripening loose red American 

 wheat and the dense heavy cropping English 

 Square-head the crossed variety which has 

 proved very suitable for certain light soils and 

 dry climates on the Continent, which demand 

 very rapid ripening, and are therefore of great 

 physiological and technical interest I must pass 

 on to note the curious result of the successful 

 hybridisation of wheat and r}^e. This cross has 

 been effected several times, and first in this 

 country according to reports from Edinburgh 

 (1875), New York (1886), and elsewhere, and 

 Rimpau's careful experiments seem to leave no 

 doubt on the matter. 



