CEREAL IMPROVEMENT SELECTION 199 



green, and azure. Attention was also given to yield 

 and winter resistance, and these characters were also 

 slightly increased by the same selection which resulted 

 in the three pure color strains. 



During twelve years' work with rye Von Rumker has 

 established the following facts concerning that cereal : 



1. In order to obtain pure races as regards kernel color, selection 

 should be continued 7 or 8 years. 



2. The phenomenon of Xenia occurs as in maize. 



3. The color of the kernel is a constant character. 



4. This color is produced by a pigment in the aleurone layer, 

 next the epidermis. 



5. Those races (greenish blue and yellow) which have hitherto 

 been in commerce are satisfactory both for milling and baking. 



206. Selection of cereals for disease-resistance has 

 apparently made little or no progress. Farrer and others 

 in Australia have given attention to the subject but with 

 indifferent results. They found Rieti to be the most rust- 

 resistant wheat, also that Medeah, Florence, and Genoa 

 wheats were somewhat rust-resistant. In this country 

 lumillo and some other durum wheats, einkorn, Khapli 

 emmer, and Persian Black wheat are strongly resistant 

 to rust. Durum wheats and emmers are resistant to the 

 Hessian fly. Burt and Early Ripe oats are almost if 

 not quite immune to smut. It would seem, therefore, 

 that pure lines selected from the most resistant individuals 

 in all these instances should give good results. On the 

 other hand, when resistance is obtained, other qualities 

 are found lacking. Much further investigation is needed. 

 A re-combination of characters through crossing is prob- 

 ably the most promising method. 



207. Fultz wheat. In 1862, in Mifflin County, Penn- 

 sylvania, Abraham Fultz, while passing through a field 



