68 AGRICULTURE FOR BEGINNERS 



probably be also rust resistant. If you should ever find 

 such a plant, be sure to save its seed, and plant it in a plat 

 by itself. The next year again save seed from those plants 

 least rusted. Possibly you can develop a rust-proof race 

 of wheat! Keep your eyes open. 



In England the average yield of wheat is thirty bushels 

 an acre, in the United States less than fifteen bushels ! In 

 some states the yield is even less than nine bushels an acre. 

 Let us select our seed with care, as the English people do, 

 and then we can increase our yield. By careful seed selec- 

 tion a plant breeder in Minnesota increased the yield of 

 his wheat by one fourth. Think of what it would mean 

 if twenty-five per cent were added to the world's supply of 

 wheat at comparatively no cost, that is, the mere cost of 

 careful seed selection. This would mean an addition to the 

 world's income of about $500,000,000 each year. The 

 United States would get about one fifth of this profit. 



It often happens that a single plant in the crop of corn, 

 cotton, or wheat will be far superior to all others in the 

 field. Such a plant deserves special care. Do not use it 

 merely as a seed plant, but carefully plant its seeds apart 

 and tend carefully. The following season select the best 

 of its offspring as favorites again. Repeat this selection 

 and culture for several years until you fix the variety. 

 This is the way new varieties are originated from plants 

 propagated by seed. 



In 1862, Mr. Abraham Fultz of Pennsylvania, while pass- 

 ing through a field of bearded wheat, found three heads of 

 beardless, or bald, wheat. These he sowed by themselves 

 that year, and, as they turned out specially productive, 

 he continued to sow this new variety. Soon he had 



