140 WHEAT 



and never ripened, except three heads which ap- 

 parently grew from a single seed. The grain from 

 these heads was saved and planted the next 

 season and the product was saved and planted 

 again, and from it sprang the variety of wheat 

 known all over Canada and the northern states as 

 Red Fife or Scotch Fife. 



EARLY MATURING VARIETIES ESSENTIAL 



The Red Fife wheat had many points of excel- 

 lence, but for growing in the more northern 

 climates it had one serious fault it was rather 

 too late in maturing, and in seasons of early frosts 

 the grain was likely to be injured and reduced 

 in yield and value. This condition caused a de- 

 mand on the part of the Canadian growers for 

 an earlier ripening wheat. Dr. William Saunders, 

 director of the dominion experimental farms, met 

 this demand by importing early maturing varieties 

 of wheat from northern Russia and India. These 

 varieties proved to be inferior in quality and yield, 

 but by crossing them with Red Fife, a number of 

 new varieties have been produced which are 

 earlier than the Red Fife, and in some cases 

 nearly as good in quality and which produce large 

 yields and are well adapted for growing in the 

 western provinces. Several of these varieties 

 such as Preston, Huron, Bishop and Stanley are 

 well known throughout Canada and the northern 

 states. More recent introductions are the Marquis 

 and Prelude, which are proving to be the earliest 

 and hardiest of the SaundersVarieties. 



In thus producing these early hardy varieties 



